Apple Stands Firm on Workers Returning to Office

Tech giant Apple has been at odds with a large group of employees in recent months after it demanded that they return to the office at least a few days a week, with many employees resisting the return to the workplace.

In June, Breitbart News reported that internal letters at Apple showed that many at the company were hesitant to return to work. Breitbart News reporter Alana Mastrangelo wrote:

…staff members said they “had to learn how to deliver the same quality of products and services that Apple is known for, all while working almost completely remotely” during the “unprecedented challenge” they faced amid the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

“We did so, achieving another record-setting year,” the employees added. “We found a way for everyone to support each other and succeed in a completely new way of working together — from locations we were able to choose at our own discretion.”

The Apple staff members went on to say that “without the inclusivity that flexibility brings, many of us feel we have to choose between either a combination of our families, our well-being, and being empowered to do our best work, or being a part of Apple.”

“This is a decision none of us take lightly, and a decision many would prefer not to have to make,” they said.

Now the Verge reports that Apple is not backing down from its stance that workers must return to the office for at least three days a week starting in early September. Fully remote positions will be available, but limited.

Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of retail and people, said in a video recording viewed by the Verge: “We believe that in-person collaboration is essential to our culture and our future. If we take a moment to reflect on our unbelievable product launches this past year, the products and the launch execution were built upon the base of years of work that we did when we were all together in-person.”

In a letter to executives, employees stated that some of their colleagues had been forced to quit due to the company’s policy and asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to change his stance. They requested that all teams be given the option to work remotely, stating that “without the inclusivity that flexibility brings, many of us feel we have to choose between either a combination of our families, our well-being, and being empowered to do our best work, or being a part of Apple.”

Apple has essentially denied that request, stating that any remote work decisions will be made “on a case-by-case basis with any new remote positions requiring executive approval.”