If we all decided to ROWE, would (work-)life be but a dream?

So, I fell for another provocative title — this time it was a book: “Why Work Sucks and How to Fix it: The Results-Only Revolution.”  

The book, written by Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, outlines the concept of ROWE (Results-Only Work Environment) and how implementing ROWE can revolutionize work as we know it.

"Imagine a workplace where employees can do whatever they want whenever they want, as long as the work gets done," the book’s jacket reads. "No more pointless meetings, racing to get in at 9:00, or begging for permission to watch your kid play soccer. You make the decisions about what you do and where you do it."

Um, where have Ressler and Thompson been all my adult life and how can I get them to my company, stat?

To be fair, ROWE is not really new — EBN profiled Ressler and Thompson in a report about ROWE at Best Buy a few years ago — but in today’s increasingly pressurized, digitized and economized culture, perhaps the concept is ripe for growth.

Especially since, in the comments of recent post, it seems several readers are like me in preferring a flexible but boring job to a rigid but stimulating one. (There are those, however, that would rather have stimulating rigidity.)

But what Ressler and Thompson are suggesting goes way beyond the bounds of traditional flextime and telework arrangements. Can it really work on a widespread, national scale? And what would it do to our culture if it did?

I intend to ask Ressler and Thompson just that and more. I’m currently working with their reps to set up a Q&A with the authors in the very near future. What would you like me to ask them about ROWE and its application in today’s workplace? Leave your questions in the comments.

And, if you’ve implemented ROWE at your company, how has it gone? What positive and negative consequences did you experience? If you had it to over again, would you vote ROWE or no-go? Share your thoughts in the comments.