Office Visit

Yahoo’s new CEO Marissa Mayer recently sent a memo to the Company’s professional staff and announced that by June they are expected work in the office and no longer telecommute from home. I was shocked by her bold move, clearly a counter-culture policy that runs against everything we expect from a technology company. Mayer argued that “some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people and impromptu team meetings.” A counter-point article in this weekend’s New York Times argued that five days in the office is too much, and with available video conferencing technology and other communication tools employees should be allowed to have flexibility and benefit from a balanced approach. I come down on the side of a balanced approach. Punching the clock at work is so passé, but eliminating physical presence and the opportunity for the kind of collaboration that only occurs when professionals gather and ignite spontaneous collaboration ultimately compromises a company’s performance. I vote for a three day office work week which would enable two days of telecommuting, but with one day when everyone must gather in the office. This balanced approach would be a win-win all the way around.

Tony LoPinto is the Global Sector Leader of Korn/Ferry International’s Real Estate Practice and founder of SelectLeaders. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.