Prior to reading the new Businessweek (Dec 11th 2006), I ran across Web Worker Daily’s (WWD) post about the article and the way in which Best Buy is “revolutionizing” the workplace with their “Results Oriented Work Environment” (ROWE).

First off, thanks to WWD for bringing this article to my attention as it usually takes me a while to get to the stack of magazines on my desk.

I like the idea that Best Buy has…there are many people who would feel liberated by the simple action of being able to plan their own day instead of being obligated to being in an office from 8 to 5. ROWE gives people a sense of independence, which has to add to their productivity…as long as the employee is a professional, responsible adult. The article states that Best Buy has experienced a considerable increase in employee engagement and productivity as can be seen from this excerpt:

Since the program’s implementation, average voluntary turnover has fallen drastically, CultureRx says. Meanwhile, Best Buy notes that productivity is up an average 35% in departments that have switched to ROWE. Employee engagement, which measures employee satisfaction and is often a barometer for retention, is way up too, according to the Gallup Organization, which audits corporate cultures

As the article mentions, a lot of Tech companies have been utilizing flex-time systems and virtual office systems (e.g., telecommuting, etc) and they have been quite successful at this. I think that allowing team members to work anytime/anywhere they wish is an added benefit that should be considered a competitive advantage and should be seriously considered by non-tech companies across the country.

Technorati Tags: HR, Strategy, Leadership, Best Buy, Web Worker Daily