Yahoo’s rationale behind their decision to change their policy regarding employees’ ability to work remotely was based on its belief that face-to-face interaction fosters a more collaborative culture. For a company whose core purpose is based on the use of technology, it is hard to believe that they could not find a way to use technology to assist them in addressing what they perceived as a problem.
As a company that has offered and supported employees working remotely for many years, I do appreciate that not having employees in the office on a regular basis can create some challenges regarding communication, interaction with other members of the staff, etc., but I do not feel that the only way to have a culture that supports collaboration is by doing away with the ability for employees to work remotely.
In this day and age, I feel that in order to attract and retain the best talent available, a company must offer employees the ability to flex their time in the office, as well as offer the ability to work remotely. There is nothing to say that just because all of the staff work in the same location you will foster a culture of collaboration, it’s more about the people you have on your team and the culture you support within your company.
In order to support remote workers we had to develop policies and procedures to set clear expectations for all involved. In addition, we had to make sure that our technology allowed for employees to access information when they needed it, as well as ensuring we were using appropriate technology to foster communication — conferencing calling, Skype, online meeting software, etc.
As a leader in developing innovative solutions for our client partners, we are an example of how allowing employees to work remotely has helped us attract and retain top talent, and at the same time, support a culture of collaboration and innovation in delivering world-class service.
Bob Waller is president and CEO at Association Headquarters.
