ROWE

Nine to five is out of date, don’t you know. ROWE – Results Only Work Environment – is quickly catching on in the USA. Instead of working your fixed hours at your desk, you can choose when and where you write those reports, meaning you can fit gym sessions and the school runs in around your work. HR consultant Cali Ressler is one of the creators of the concept and says we’re stuck in a 1930s mindset and that the 40 hour working week is now thought to be necessary for competency, efficiency and effectiveness, which was not its original intention. Fellow creator Jody Thompson says “If you can get results in a 20 hour week, fine. If you do your best work at the beach, fine.” Electronics retailer Best Buy has implemented the system and productivity has gone up 41% and staff turnover has been reduced by a massive 90%. It all sounds like a good idea to us, although with the invention of Facebook we know that self motivation proves difficult for many of us Britons, so maybe we should stick with the office. Besides, who would want to miss out on the water cooler gossip?