Yahoo CEO: No more working remote -- get to the office or quit

http://www.sfgate.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Why-Marissa-Mayer-Told-Remote-Employees-To-Work-4304049.php

Marissa Mayer has caused a raging firestorm out here in the Bay Area and throughout the Internet workforce with her edict that by June, all employees who are currently working remote -- and there are a ton of them -- need to be getting their asses to the office. Interestingly enough, Google and Facebook also discourage working remote, although neither has a formal policy against it.

I find myself in agreement with Mayer. I work remote, because I am a contractor for a large company with people all over the country working on the same projects. My wife has the option to work remote. I am not as productive as I would be in an office, and she prefers to go to her office because she doesn't get anything done around here either.

There is much to be said for collaboration. There is even more to be said for making sure people are actually working. Both of those can be difficult with a non-centralized workforce.

 

Interesting this thread just emerged after having just commented on the Wiley thread.

So again, I was acting editor for 6 months or so. One of the reporters, a real go-to kind of guy in the grand scheme of things, lived in Philly. He hadn't gotten a raise in 5 years. Wife, 2 young kids. Money is tight.

One of the ways I tried to find him more money without giving him a raise was letting him work from home. It helped out on so many levels. He didn't have to spend money on gas to get to and fro Trenton 5 days a week. In turn, I thought letting him work from home so that he could be around his family more would be an extra bonus. Not to mention, they had one usable car so his wife had to go to work every day at 2 -- having that car at the ready helped their family dynamic. I got him a company cell phone so that he didn't have to pay for a personal cell.

Little things.

One person in the newsroom didn't like that I let this dude work from home but by and large this guy had better productivity because of it. When I needed him in Trenton he'd show up although we were hamstrung a few times during big stories because he had to be back in Philly by 1:45 so his wife could have the car.

There are pros and cons to the situation. In Yahoo's case, employees are pretty well paid. In my case, I needed to let a colleague know I cared about him and would do whatever it took to make him happier. A happy worker is a productive worker.

 

Google will give you three hots and a cot just you to keep you at work.

 

That's true. Can't remember if it was the story I linked or another story that noted Mayer has followed Google and FB by upgrading the quality of the free cafeteria and snack offerings. Kind of the high-tech version of the old newsroom trick of buying everyone pizza on election night so they'll stick around for 12 hours.

 

Because I work so much at home now, I can't function in an office, at least writing wise. People always are interrupting me. Too much talking in the office makes it incredibly difficult to concentrate. Oh, and the editorial system doesn't actually work on my work computer and the internet browser is so outdated it won't support Google Drive. So there's that, too. I go in for my desk shifts. But if I'm writing, I'm either at home or on site.

 

I'm the exact same way, Cosmo.

I go in the office when I absolutely have to, but the amount of interruptions is just incredible. I get so much more done working at home.

 

If an employee is proven to be productive when they work remotely, continue to let them. If they're not, have them come into the office. It's not rocket science.

Seems pretty par for the course for management though. Company's struggling, so it must be the fault of the employees working remotely!

 

I installed an espresso machine at Google's office in Chicago. It's sick.

Trading firms & consulting firms are the same way though. Optiver's offices are sick -- two espresso machines, one of each side of the trading firm. Bain & Co.'s office is sick.

McKinsey's new Chicago office might be the nicest of all.

All of them have free food, snacks, drinks, etc. They have break rooms with game tables.

 

I work in the newsroom. I like the banter, the excitement when news breaks and the camaraderie.

That, and if I worked from home a lot I'd probably play Madden too much instead of working. Inevitable, really.

 

Since remote work began in my department of my current job, productivity increased significantly for all workers involved. They're begging other people to do it.

 

All depends on the job. For most writers, there's really no reason to be in the office. That obviously changes when the writer has other job duties like layout and editing and whatever.

I interviewed for a job once at a pretty highly regarded financial firm and their office atmosphere was awesome. Video game system, pool tables, air hockey. Relaxed dress code. No cafeteria, but the bosses would stock the fridge with beer for after hours. Unlimited vacation (when it made sense, of course). The whole nine. Everyone seems to love working there, including a friend of mine. Yeah, I need to look them up again.

 

Some people work very well from home. Others really need an office setting to be at their best. My issue with what Yahoo is doing is that I'm sure some people took those jobs with the understanding that the ability to work remotely would be a benefit. Of course, it's nothing new to see a corporation take a benefit away from employees, but it still kinda sucks.