Study suggests PR is not a telecommuting industry

Bucking a trend toward greater workplace flexibility, Yahoo said its employees must work from the office. In the PR world, telecommuting remains a privilege for the industry’s elite.

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In her announcement, which came Friday in a confidential email that was promptly released to the media, Mayer said the decision is intended to increase productivity and create a more connected culture. The note says, in part:

The new policy, which takes effect in June, may have backfired for a company trying to regain its edge, at least with some workers and media. According to reports, Yahoo employees said they appreciate flexible work arrangements, noting that there has been an overall workplace trend to allow telecommuting and flexible schedules. Media also noted that Mayer only took two weeks off after having a baby last October.

Jennifer Owens, editorial director of Working Mother Media, told Forbes.com that the decision to ban working from home was disappointing. “It’s a step backwards—a mindset from the days when Yahoo was launched,” she said. In fact, some media pointed out that the new policy only affects several hundred of the 14,000-strong workforce.

Telecommuting in the PR field

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