Sunday, May 19th 11:35 AM IST
 

Yahoo’s decision to ban employees from working from home is a regressive move

Lakshmi Chaudhry

It is unsustainable and unhealthy for a society to expect its workforce to devote ever greater hours at the workplace, at the expense of their personal lives. It is also unproductive. Many of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer’s critics have already pointed out that working from home may in fact increase productivity by insulating employees from the distraction of office politics and socialising. Research has also shown that those who work from home are also far less likely to watch the clock, or resent working during late hours or on weekends. Above all, the ban on telecommuting in a high-skill industry undermines morale.read less read more

Piyasree Dasgupta

An organisation essentially rests on the camaraderie between the people who constitute it. While one might argue it is also why there’s hierarchy and unnecessary politicking – those are not the only things that several people working in one real space brings into work. From brainstorming and fixing problems to filling in for someone and getting someone else’s back, working in one space not only improves the quality of work produced, it gives you an environment conducive to good work. Something that a face on a Skype chat-room can hardly replicate. It’s definitely more reassuring to have a colleague a shout away than a Skype call away, really. While work-from-home options should be considered during personal emergencies, it helps to have a uniform policy at a work place to avoid pointless conflicts of interests and opinions.read less read more