Best Buy throws out the clock

[Brandtrock]

Got this link in a nesletter I subscribe to and thought that some of you might also find it interesting. The last job I had in "corporate" America leaned towards the ROWE concept. If your supervisor decided that the job was done, then everyone could bail out early. Not quite as forgiving as Best Buy, but still an incentive to automate as much as possible!!

Best Buy throws Out The Clock (http://biz.yahoo.com/special/allbiz120606_article1.html)

Regards,

[Bob Phillips]

That is an interesting article, and there is a lot of good thoughts there.

The thing that always strikes me though is that a good organisation can make any working method work well to the benefit of all, a bad organisiation is just as capable of the opposite. I can see many companies adopting this sort of methodology, and bit by bit they start loading extra work/tasks on you, becuase hey, you are getting it all done eaisly within the 'standard hours'. Yeah, I know we are supposed to agree the year's contract with the boss, but in reality how many times have you influenced it, been able to argue that it is over-demanding. Personally, I have always felt that it was imposed, it was not a two-way conversation. Those sorts of bosses, and I would argue that our western approach means that they greatly predominate, will abuse any methodology however it is meant to work.

[Brandtrock]

Your point about the "piling on" effect is true enough. The position in the previous post was interesting in that regard. My senior staff accountant position reported to the assistant controller who reported to the controller. The controller got his marching orders from the CEO. The CEO would set a deadline, say July 1st. This was "padded" by the controller to June 27. This in turn was related to me and my two peers as June 25. Of course, trying to impress our boss, we aimed to have things done by June 24.

The whole process worked fine until the CEO started to figure it out. He started giving the entire Accounting Department less and less time from the outset. I guess we got what we deserved! :bug:

[Zack Barresse]

In my line of work, deadlines are bad. :D

[Ken Puls]

I can see many companies adopting this sort of methodology, and bit by bit they start loading extra work/tasks on you, becuase hey, you are getting it all done eaisly within the 'standard hours'.

Very true.

My performance review gets a slightly lower score every year. Because I'm doing worse? Not at all. My boss tells me every year... "you keep raising the bar, so I expect more of you."

Is that fair? Sure, why not. It's the way we learn more, so I have no issue with it.

It's a very interesting article, to which my job somewhat fits already. Being the systems guy, I take calls 24/7/365, so trade some hours here and there. The deal is, though, that the work must get done. I have to say, however, that I actually prefer working my 9-5 for the most part though. I then get to leave work at work most of the time, and don't have to worry about it when I'm not there. My job in IT and accounting is just never done, so that would be a constant worry, I'm thinking.

[Brandtrock]

My performance review gets a slightly lower score every year. Because I'm doing worse? Not at all...

My first job out of ISU was under a manager who scored my review based on hers. Since she had gotten marked poorly in controlling labor cost, so did everyone under her.

Here's the best part though. Using Lotus 1-2-3 on an IBM 8088, I made a spreadsheet that took the relevant period's sales data for her shifts and for our shifts. I applied a couple of formulas and produced a report showing that when managers at my level were running the business our labor cost was BELOW the corporate mandate. Her shifts were grotesquely ABOVE the threshold; to the extent that the labor numbers for the entire store were ABOVE the threshold.

My review score didn't change, so I guess all that I really accomplished was proving what an insufferable pain I am, but I felt better. :devil2:

I did continue tracking sales and labor cost. It never changed, we beat the mark and she didn't. I sent the analysis to corporate HQ once I moved on to my next position. She ran the unit until it closed down a year after I left.