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Best Buy ends work-from-home program

money.cnn.com

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Re: Best Buy ends work-from-home program

#2

Post by stock_toaster »

It does seem like a convenient (for $corp) policy change as a way to let people go without negative news about firings or downsizing, instead couching it as reduction in remote-workforce and austerity measures.

BestBuy, like Yahoo!, also seems to not be doing so hot right now.

Re: Best Buy ends work-from-home program

#3

Post by saraid216 »

stock_toaster wrote: post #2

It does seem like a convenient (for $corp) policy change as a way to let people go without negative news about firings or downsizing, instead couching it as reduction in remote-workforce and austerity measures. BestBuy, like Yahoo!, also seems to not be doing so hot right now.

I'd imagine it's a good way to convince people to quit rather than wait to be fired.

Re: Best Buy ends work-from-home program

#5

Post by atto »

saraid216 wrote: post #3
stock_toaster wrote: post #2

It does seem like a convenient (for $corp) policy change as a way to let people go without negative news about firings or downsizing, instead couching it as reduction in remote-workforce and austerity measures. BestBuy, like Yahoo!, also seems to not be doing so hot right now.

I'd imagine it's a good way to convince people to quit rather than wait to be fired.

The downside to this approach is that your good ones leave first. At least you have some control over who gets fired.

Re: Best Buy ends work-from-home program

#7

Post by pyre » 

  | "In the context of a business transformation, it
  | makes sense to consider not just what the results
  | are but how the work gets done," Furman said.
  | "It's 'all hands on deck' at Best Buy, and that
  | means having employees in the office as much as
  | possible to collaborate and connect on ways to
  | improve our business
1. The "all hands on deck" thing is a bit over the top. It makes it sound like he thinks that people working from home aren't 'at their posts' or something.

2. I'm unsure why "how the work gets done" is now more important than (or as important as) the results of said work. If the results of said work are not enough, then either the work wasn't done correctly, or the person/team was allocated to work toward the wrong goal.

3. What is with all of this emphasis on "people connecting" while in the office. I recall something similar from the Yahoo announcement. Are these companies doing so poorly that they feel that chance meetings in the hallways or at the water-cooler will be their salvation?

Re: Best Buy ends work-from-home program

#8

Post by mindcrime »

Marissa Mayer might be a trendsetter. Just one week after the Yahoo CEO banned telecommuting at her company, Best Buy is ending its own flexible work program.

Well, one insightful HN'er, christopheraden, sorta called this[1], back in one of the earlier threads[2] on the Yahoo decision. Unfortunately it looks like people might just be following Mayer's lead here (even though she hasn't exactly "turned Yahoo around" just yet). Let's hope this doesn't become a trend.

[1]: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5267682

[2]: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5267030

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