Two human resources professionals have come to a startling, if not unusual, conclusion: Work sucks.
Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson have some radical ideas about how to make work not suck, starting with the notion that employees should be able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, as long as they get the job done.
"You get paid for a chunk of work, not for a chunk of time," they write in their book, Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It, published last week.
In a nutshell, writes Rebecca Dube in 'The workplace is broken' , they want to abolish the notion of a 40-hour (or 50, 60 or god help us, 70) hour workweek.
They've actually implemented their results-only work environment philosophy among the 3,000 employees at Best Buy's corporate headquarters in Richfield, Minn.
Ms. Ressler and Ms. Thompson joined us online to answer reader questions on Tuesday.
Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson met while working in the human resources department of Best Buy and together created the results-only work environment (ROWE). They are the founders of CultureRx, where they help companies implement ROWE and speak publicly about their experiences. Their first book, Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It, was released June 2 by Portfolio, a Penguin imprint.
Editor's Note: globeandmail.com editors will read and allow or reject each question/comment. Comments/questions may be edited for length or clarity. HTML is not allowed. We will not publish questions/comments that include personal attacks on participants in these discussions, that make false or unsubstantiated allegations, that purport to quote people or reports where the purported quote or fact cannot be easily verified, or questions/comments that include vulgar language or libellous statements. Preference will be given to readers who submit questions/comments using their full name and home town, rather than a pseudonym.
Rebecca Dube, Globe Life reporter: Hello, and thanks to everyone who is joining us today. Monday's Globe Life Q&A with Jody Thompson and Cali Ressler has sparked some great discussion and a number of interesting questions. We'll try to get to as many of your questions as possible in the next hour.
Mark Swartz from Trawna Canada writes: Dear Cali and Jody, I had heard about ROWE last year and was fascinated. Can it be that some employers actually value output more than face time?
The question I have is one of demographics and shifting values. Given that North America's economy is under pressure in many areas, and that the senior management ranks in organizations is being swelled by people in their late 40's and early 50's, what do you think it will take for employers to provide their staff with more time flexibility, at least in those roles that lend themselves to this sort of approach?
Thank you in advance, Mark Swartz, CareerActivist.com
Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson: Mark — It's going to take a complete paradigm shift. The culture of work needs to change and we need to stop implementing flexibility programs over the existing industrial model of work. Flexibility programs are all about TIME, and tracking WHEN people are working. They assume that work should happen between a certain time — 8 am to 5pm — on certain days — Monday through Friday — and in a certain place — the office building in a cube. Any variation from this is counter-culture, and requires a 'program'.
We need to shift the focus to results and results only. Just about every employer says they value output more than face-time, but then they reinforce outdated rules and policies about when, where, and how long work should happen. We're serving two masters: Time, and Results. Until we completely eradicate time from the equation, we will never be fully invested in RESULTS.
Organizations are full of management in their late 40's and early 50's who have clawed their way to the top using the industrial model. But, they too want a better life. Generation Y will force the issue, and ROWE will be the vehicle of change that will allow all of us to achieve the lifestyle we want.
Andy Bruce from Toronto Canada writes: What is the impact of a ROWE-type structure in a small business where collaboration and a 'family' feel are an integral part of success? Do you suggest any tools/strategies to help everyone stay in touch? Is it even a good idea for a small business (30 employees)? Thank you.
