Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer Bans Employees From Working From Home

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has informed hundreds of employees who work from home that they must either make the switch to working in offices or quit their jobs.

Business Insider learned Friday that Mayer, who became CEO in July of last year, gave remote Yahoo workers an ultimatum regarding their employment with the company. According to AllThingsD‘s Kate Swisher, who first broke the story, several Yahoo staffers were understandably upset about the decision because they felt were initially hired with the impression that they would have the flexibility to telecommute. Shortly after breaking the story, Swisheracquired the full confidential memo that was sent out. The memo reads in part:

“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. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together.”

Remote employees would be required to start working in Yahoo offices beginning in June, and the memo assures staffers that “management has already been in touch with next steps.” However, this may prove difficult for employees who do not work near a Yahoo office, meaning they’ll have no choice but to quit or undertake a, potentially, long commute to the nearest office.

Mayer’s short tenure as Yahoo CEO has not been without its controversy. In September, she stated that she would be personally reviewing and approving every single application. While the decision made sense to some, others felt that waiting for Mayer to personally review some 15,000 applications would slow down the hiring process. However, those that are employed by the company have gotten new smartphones and free food, which may make the wait worth it to those who really want to work for Yahoo.

As far as Mayer’s ban on telecommuting, Yahoo has stated that it does not comment on internal matters, but it may not be long before the company is forced to address what is sure to be an unpopular decision for many employees.

Do you think Yahoo employees should be required to work in offices?