Telecommuting

Recent restrictions on telecommuting by tech giant Yahoo and retailer Best Buy are spurring debate over the merits of working from home. Some companies say allowing employees to telecommute reduces turnover and boosts profits. But Yahoo's leaders say collaboration and innovation suffer when everyone isn't in the office together. Advocates argue that telework has been crucial for parents and other caregivers struggling to balance work and family obligations. Yet, while the advent of mobile working — by smartphones, tablet computers and laptops — has helped workers remain productive, it also has led more and more people to labor long hours from home, often at night and on weekends. Global communication by email, videoconference and Skype has become so integral to business that some corporate leaders say they no longer see telework as a distinct form of work.