Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer’s Controversial Decision May Change Company

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s call to end work-at-home arrangements with many of her employees has been a point of controversial discussion on the Internet and in Silicon Valley for several days now. Experts believe that Mayer, one of the very few women who heads a Fortune 500 company, may experience a setback with this decision, particularly with working mothers.

According to reports and through a leakage of a company memo written by Yahoo’s HR chief, hundreds of her employees were asked to decide if they can come to work everyday or lose their jobs.
Below is part of the memo:

“To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo, and that starts with physically being together.”

With her call of banning telecommuting, many critics, particularly working mothers, believe that this will affect the company she is leading. Observers also say that Mayer may be looking at downsizing, without the costs normally associated with it.

Yahoo, as it is, is already on a downward spiral. Mayer apparently tried to keep boosting company morale when she assumed the post by offering iPhones and free food to employees.

But now, with this new policy, the company is in for another big change.

Mayer earlier decided to only take a 2-week leave after giving birth and had a nursery built in her office so she can nurse her son while working longer hours.