SpinWeb became a ROWE a few years ago. Since then, we have enjoyed a happier workplace, more balanced lives, and improved productivity. From my perspective, ROWE is to the traditional workplace as the Renaissance is to the Dark Ages. I look back on our pre-ROWE work environment and I actually feel embarrassment at how we ran things. I feel the need to apologize to my employees for the senseless way we ran the company. Unfortunately, it happens to be the way most companies today still do things.

The good news is, we are a now in a ROWE and life is good. However, when I describe our company and ROWE to others, I sometimes get interesting reactions. Aside from all the predictable “That would never work in my company” reactions, I sometimes hear things like “Oh, that sounds like my company… we’re already a ROWE.”

Really?

It’s easy to hear a few things about ROWE and then declare that your company is already a ROWE, but in most cases that’s not quite the case. When people claim they are already in a ROWE, it’s usually because they have a flexible schedule, or the option to telecommute. This does not mean that your company is a ROWE. Let’s look at a few indicators. These apply to all employees in the organization.

• If you are expected to work approximately 40 hours per week (or more) either officially or unofficially, you are not in a ROWE
• If you have to ask permission or even notify someone when you work from home or will not be in the office, you are not in a ROWE
• If you have a quota of sick, personal, or vacation days, you are not in a ROWE
• If you get the evil eye from your boss or from co-workers when you don’t come into the office for a while, you are not in a ROWE
• If you are expected to be available or in the office during a core set of “business hours”, you are not in a ROWE
• If you don’t feel like you can decline a meeting with your boss or with co-workers, you are not in a ROWE
• If you would get in trouble for sleeping until noon on a weekday, you are not in a ROWE
• If the freedoms of a ROWE are only available to management or a select few, then you are not in a ROWE
• If you don’t feel like you can leave at 2pm for a matinee movie without asking permission, you are not in a ROWE

If any of these apply to your company, then I would encourage you to re-think your work environment. Are you really in a ROWE? If so, great! If not, let me know. I would love to introduce you to Cali and Jody. ROWE will change your life.

As always, comments are welcome. Are you in a ROWE?