Yahoo! made waves earlier this week when the company’s CEO Marissa Mayer announced they would no longer allow telecommuting, a process where employees don’t physically come to the office, but work from home or remotely.
When Mayer took over Yahoo! earlier last summer the company was—and still is—in a rough place. According to the human resources memo that announced the decision, the company hopes that forcing employees into their offices will foster greater relationships, communication, collaboration and creativity. There were also reports that current telecommuters were taking advantage of their freedoms and contributing to the dysfunctional and disconnected environment Mayer inherited.
Some argue that eliminating telecommuting is a step backward, that technology makes things easier and more efficient and should be embraced. Others suggest that personal interactions and camaraderie are stronger than email, and this may be the only way for Mayer to strengthen her company, get everyone back on track and ease the worries of investors.
The longtime Google executive, who was pregnant when she joined Yahoo!, has been criticized by women and some media outlets for her decision, she’s been labeled a hypocrite and charged with hindering female progression in the work place, since many see telecommuting as a saving grace for working moms. She’s even being blasted for only taking two weeks maternity leave.
The backlash illuminates a major hurdle still clearly present for women in the workforce. Mayer can’t escape the feminist critics who believe she is turning her back on fellow mothers, but would a male CEO be criticized the same way? Are critics analyzing Mayer’s decision as a woman and a mother and not as a concerned CEO making a difficult decision?
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