Why Won't Yahoo! Let Employees Work From Home Article Review Sample

In the world of business, telecommuting or working from home has always been a popular choice for employees who find it convenient and often more productive than sitting in a cubicle all day along. Indeed, studies have shown that the average productivity of employees increases by around 15 percent when they are working from home as compared to when they work from the office. However, not everyone seems to be happy with this state of affairs the article being reviewed for this paper shows. The article, which is titled Why Won't Yahoo! Let Employees Work From Home? Is about a leaked memo from the executive vice president of the popular internet giant, Yahoo that laid down the new policy banning employees from working from home. This came as a surprise to many as the tech industry is known for its creative approach to working culture and organizational norms and was indeed the pioneer of working from home arrangements.
As mentioned earlier, research has conclusively drawn the connection between increased productivity and working from home. As many employees attest, working from home without the disturbances that accompany cubicle farms or the factory like atmosphere at workplaces means that one is able to focus better in a shorter period and on the other hand, not worry about commuting since they are based at home. Incidentally, telecommuting or working from home became popular because of huge traffic jams that are the byproduct of the American suburban sprawl kind of living and working where often, the distance between the downtown offices and the suburban homes is quite large resulting in precious time being lost in traffic snarls.
As the article points out and as noted earlier, the fact that a tech company has resorted to this step is indeed discouraging for workers so used to innovation and experimentation with newer and creative ways of working. Is it that the policy banning working from home an indication that the company has failed in monitoring its employees and their productivity when they work from home? On the other hand, is it that they are jittery about other employees complaining about those who telecommute and how they should be allowed to do so as well. On this count at least, Yahoo need not worry as studies have shown that only a fraction of the workforce works from home and it does not have a measurable impact on the others who work from the office.
While this might not mean that other companies are going to follow suit, this trend is discouraging to the women as maternal and domestic considerations play a prominent role in their decision to work from home. Considering that Yahoo has recently taken on a woman as its CEO, this decision does not make sense at all. Complicating the situation is the exhortation by Reese about the need to take shorter maternity leaves and the whole situation looks bizarre and incomprehensible. In concluding this review, it must be noted that this policy must be withdrawn at the earliest and before the other companies follow suit. After all, the pleasures of working from home productively are many and it is high time corporate America realizes the benefits of telecommuting and the positive correlation between telecommuting and productivity. More power to those who work from home and those employers who let employees work from home.
Suddath, Claire. "Why Won't Yahoo! Let Employees Work From Home?" 2013. Web. 26 Feb 2013. .