Creating the right goals is a peeling the onion exercise. For every assumption we had about goals, we just kept asking “why” until we got to the heart of the goal. If the old goal was “work 8 hours a day,” the new goal was “solve every help desk request.” Once we stopped dictating how people should handle those requests (be at your desk from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), people became very creative. Now we solve more problems with less people, and everyone is happier.
Letting people manage themselves changes a leader’s role from “managing” to asking “what do you need from me to get the job done?” This is far easier, and a lot more fun. I spend 80 percent less time managing people. Mostly I focus on getting the right people in the door, then providing them with the tools and support that they need. It beats rule-making and supervising by a long shot.
The technology is critical but guided by one principle. The primary question becomes: “Can people use this from anywhere with the same result as they could if they were in the office?” If yes, then we have a ROWE-friendly technology. Some of the systems we use (and implement):
● We have used both Exchange and Google Apps. We like Google Apps a lot, but for a many folks, Exchange is the better choice. Both can be configured to work well across the Internet using either Outlook or a browser.
● Instant Messenger is critical to working in a ROWE. The kind of quick, natural conversations that people are used to having at the office are often just as natural by chat once people get used to adopting it as a work tool. We use Google Apps for chat, but there are many options.
● Hosted VoIP phones. For Ripple, if the phones don’t work the same remotely as they do in the office, people can’t really work from wherever they want. There are a number of good VoIP systems that will work from anywhere. Companies like CBeyond and Speakeasy are good choices for hosted VoIP.
● Easy VPN access. The more challenging the VPN is to use, the more we end up chaining people to the office. We find that SSL-based VPN works the best. It’s very secure, but much more likely to connect from weird places like
coffee shops and hotels.
● If you’re not an IT company, then you need a qualified IT resource to help get everything selected and integrated — and to manage the environment to prevent downtime. In a ROWE, technology becomes even more critical than it
is in a traditional work environment.
Working in a ROWE naturally brings out the best in people, and lets them take care of business in the most efficient way. With clear goals, a willingness to let go, and the right technology, freedom quickly becomes the most valuable perk you can offer — and one that goes a long way to making a great workplace.
Mike Landman is the founder and CEO of Ripple, an IT company that makes IT run smoothly for companies with under 100 employees. You can learn more about his ROWE experience here.
