Some PR firms compete to offer the most flexible and creative work-anywhere schedules. Others say telecommuting focuses too much on staff demands and overlooks the needs of the agency itself.

While it's rare that a firm would ban telecommuting outright, some are scaling back on lenient policies. Taking this stance puts a strain on recruiting efforts - especially for in-demand mid-level talent - but proponents of face time say the gains make it worthwhile.

For instance, even though technology has eliminated ...