Yahoo CEO Reportedly Faces Morale Challenge

(RTTNews) - Marissa Mayer has repeatedly said reviving growth at Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) would take multiple years. But many insiders have lost patience, saying the embattled chief executive has no clear sense of direction and has misled investors and advertisers about the company's progress, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In recent months, a crisis of morale has gripped Yahoo, as dozens of executives who had been instrumental to Mayer's turnaround plan have left for jobs elsewhere.

Mayer called a meeting with senior executives in August and asked them to sign a written agreement to stay with the company for at least three more years, the report said.

The report indicated Finance chief Ken Goldman was one of the first to pledge his commitment, but some executives left the room unsure they could make such a promise.

In January, Mayer expects to complete the spinoff of shares in Alibaba Holding Group Ltd., putting the focus squarely on Yahoo's core business.

Under Ms. Mayer, Yahoo's forays into mobile software, online video and search have cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars but yielded no meaningful growth in total users or revenue. Ms. Mayer said last month the company would adopt another strategy to "reset" the company's focus, without providing details.