Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer has dominated the media after recently taking the helm of the Internet giant.
Her latest headline-grabbing move was a widely circulated internal memo stating that all employees (known as Yahoos) must report to work starting in June, putting an end to Yahoo’s telecommuting option for its workers.
The action has drawn mixed reviews: The Atlantic declares “Marissa Mayer Is Wrong: Working From Home Can Make You More Productive”. The New York Times calls it “a blow to work-family balance.” Meanwhile, Forbes called the new policy “One More Reason To Applaud Marissa Mayer.”
So what do workers think about working from home?
According to Randstad’s latest Engagment Index study, 49 percent of women say their company is flexible and accommodating in terms of hours or working arrangements and one-third of respondents feel this is one of the most effective ways to engage them. In terms of the skills important to growing their careers, half of women surveyed (50 percent) chose flexibility/adaptability.
Randstad’s research is joined by numerous studies that point to the same finding: companies that offer work/life benefits to their employees have a happier and more committed workforce.
However, although enhanced technology allows workers more freedom to work anytime, anywhere – our findings also showed that constant connectivity does not mean increased productivity for women workers. According to our study, 42 percent of women believe it is increasingly difficult to disconnect from work while at home, while the majority (68 percent) do not believe that the blurring of lines between work and home has increased their productivity. Modern technology has left some workers struggling to draw the line between work and home life – but the key to productivity is for workers to learn how to work smarter, not harder.
Whether working from home or in the office, we are only productive if we’re producing the results that impact our goals. Increased technology forces us to multi-task even more, but in order to succeed, we all must learn fundamental skills, such as time management, effective meetings and prioritizing. For more information on productivity, check out Randstad’s Six Tips for Working Smarter. For more advice on working at home, read this previous Women Powering Business blog post titled Working from Home? Be Sure to Establish Boundaries.
What are your thoughts about working from home: does it work or should more CEOs follow Marissa Mayer and bring employees back to the office?
How many successful women in technology do you know?
I can name a few: Sue Ericksen, CIO of New York Life Insurance Company, Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo and Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM.
These extremely smart and talented women have carved out successful careers in technology.
Yet, despite the inroads these women leaders have made, the question still remains: how many women do you actually know personally who are working in technology? Probably not that many – and it’s time for that to change.
A recent Forbes.com article titled It’s Time to Find the Women in Tech pointed out that one way to increase the number of qualified women in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) industry is through bolstering education, opportunity and visibility for women in technology. It’s also interesting to note that women in technology earn 33 percent more in salary than their non-STEM peers!
Here’s a list of some highly compensated, niche positions where women can get on the right track to become the next CIOs, CEOs and COOs of companies.
- Network security engineer — Skills needed: UNIX/Linux scripting, killer analytical skills and strong technical knowledge.
- Senior Java Developer — Skills needed: Coding, a creative background and design and test component logic.
- Data Architecture Manager — Skills needed: Data migration tools, data modeling and integration experience and knowledge on how to implement and support data strategies.
- Virtualization Architect — Skills needed: Strong technical knowledge to design and implement complex system configurations and standards for several platforms at an expert level in a diverse and demanding customer environment.
- Project Manager Lead — Skills needed: Seasoned project manager with strong knowledge and experience in successfully integrating across multiple and complex technologies and systems.
All of these jobs require at least five years of experience in a similar position, excellent communication skills, a BS or MS in computer science, stellar leadership and management skills, strong knowledge of the IT industry and the ability to effectively articulate that knowledge in verbal and written presentations.
Many of these jobs are on the forefront of innovation, but culturally, we don’t normally envision women in these roles. However, at Randstad, we are looking to empower women in technology. Take a minute to check out this infographic about women in technology – female “superheroes” who have changed the face of technology through jobs very similar to the ones listed above.
Wouldn’t you want someone to consider you a “superhero” one day?
