I say, “Marissa Mayer, Yahoo(!) I don’t work for you!”

Dear Marissa Mayer,

On Monday, February 25th, CNN Money released this article regarding your new HR memo to all Yahoo! employees:

“To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side,” the memo said. “That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices.”

Marissa…I have two words for you: Girlfriend, please.

We all know that by banning telecommuting, you are desperately attempting to rescue Yahoo! from lacking to adapt with growing technology, generate meaningful user content (unless “What one’s favorite color signifies” is what you dub as meaningful content) and the inability to connect advertisers with your audience. (If you need a few other reasons why your company will continue to flounder, you can read all about it on Forbeshere OR here.)

If you are trying to set a new precedent for employees at major corporations in the U.S., in my humble opinion, I feel that you are holding out a giant middle finger to every hard-working parent in this country who is trying to achieve the ultimate work/life balance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Were you aware that the average cost of daycare is $250 a week for one child, which equals up to $13,000 a year? In some cases, daycare costs exceed the monthly rent. You may want to revise your Yahoo! Family Child Care Program (line #4).

What kind of discount will you now offer those employees who have to suddenly account for daycare costs when they balance their already over-stretched checking accounts? Especially  those who worked from home full time and were successfully managing the work/life balance for no additional cost?

Marissa…it is possible to have it all. This past year, my husband made the move to work from home full time, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Granted, his days are very busy, and he’s usually glued to the home office chair. However, he’s able to be home and provide a watchful eye over our 12-year-old when he gets off the school bus every day at 3:20 p.m. He’s also able to provide at-home supervision on teacher work days, snow days and sick days. This also allows me to focus on my full-time schedule at my job and allows me to save my vacation time for exactly that…VACATION! Not to mention, use the funds for what would otherwise go to daycare costs into other important things…RETIREMENT!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And what about your employees’ salaries? Will they now receive more than the average annual salary increase of 2-3 percent? For those with growing financial responsibilities (such as DAYCARE), what can you give your employees – to retain great talent? And since the entire world is watching, why don’t you set a new precedent for pay increases, since most middle-class family incomes haven’t risen for more than 20 years.

What’s a working gal to do if she can’t ask for a $13,000 pay raise, or can’t afford to relocate (especially during a real estate crisis when most average households lost 40 percent of their wealth during the recession)? Remember, the majority of us working women are not wealthy CEOs and don’t have the support we would need to swiftly return to work two weeks after giving birth or the clout to build a personal nursery next to their office at work.

Marissa…be smart. Revise your new no-work-from-home policy. Your staff will love you. After all, whether they work in their pajamas or in khakis at the office…it boils down to doing one thing.

Do work, Son…do work.

Sincerely,

Another hard-working woman with solidified and flexible workforce rights at a wonderful company.

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