Apple Delays Return to Office for Employees Until At Least January

[MacRumors]

Apple has delayed its plan to return employees back to the office until at least January, due to concerns over an increase in COVID-19 cases and the possible emergence of new variants, Bloomberg reports.

Apple had previously planned to return to in-person work by early September, but the company delayed that timeline until October. Now, due to continued concerns, that timeframe has been further pushed back until at least January.

In a memo sent to staff, obtained by Bloomberg, the company's human resource and retail chief, Deirdre O’Brien, said that Apple is not planning to close its offices or retail stores that are currently open, but is encouraging employees to get vaccinated. Unlike other companies, Apple has yet to enforce a requirement for employees to be vaccinated.

The company told staff it would confirm the re-opening timeline one month before employees are required to return to the office. Apple had previously aimed to require all staff to return to corporate offices by early September before delaying that until October. When employees are required to return, they will be expected to work at the office at least three days a week -- Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays -- with remote work on Wednesday and Friday available.

The memo to staff, sent by human resources and retail head Deirdre O'Brien, added that the company does not currently expect to shutter its offices or retail stores. But she strongly encouraged staff to get vaccinated. The company is yet to require vaccinations or testing, though it is upping its testing program to as many as three at-home coronavirus tests per week. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the memo.

Apple's plans to return to the office have received criticism from Apple employees, who claim that the company is being insensitive to staff members who may prefer working remotely. When employees return, Apple plans to have employees in the office at least three days a week, with the remaining days working remotely.

Article Link: Apple Delays Return to Office for Employees Until At Least January

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

First, it was September... then October, and now January. Can’t even work 3 days a week inside the office. Pathetic!

It cost Apple $5 billion dollars for Apple to build the (Spaceship) HQ and now it’s just sitting there with no employees working inside the building.

What about the retail employees? How come they're still obligated to work inside the stores??

 

[Akrapovic]

What about the retail employees? How come they're still obligated to work inside the stores??

Unsure if you're serious or not. It's basic operational requirements. A shop cannot operate without staff. However, office staff can work effectively from home.

 

[ElCidRo]

First, it was September... then October, and now January. Can’t even work 3 days a week inside the office. Pathetic!

It cost Apple $5 billion dollars for Apple to build the (Spaceship) HQ and now it’s just sitting there with no employees working inside the building.

What about the retail employees? How come they're still obligated to work inside the stores??

You do know there is a pandemic raging outside in the real world right?

 

[kstotlani]

Good for the employees.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Unsure if you're serious or not. It's basic operational requirements. A shop cannot operate without staff. However, office staff can work effectively from home.

That's not what Tim Cook (CEO) thinks...

In June, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a memo saying that employees needed to return to the office at least three days a week beginning in September. Many

“For all that we’ve been able to achieve while many of us have been separated, the truth is that there has been something essential missing from this past year: each other,” he said. “Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate.”

In the letter Wednesday, Cook also encouraged all employees to get vaccinated.

“For now, let me simply say that I look forward to seeing your faces,” he said in closing. “I know I’m not alone in missing the hum of activity, the energy, creativity and collaboration of our in-person meetings and the sense of community we’ve all built.”

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/2/2...ek-september?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

You do know there is a pandemic raging outside in the real world right?

People are also refusing to get vaccinated. That alone is not helping this world

I have a feeling Apple will end up forcing the employees to get vaccinated to come to work.

 

[cardfan]

You do know there is a pandemic raging outside in the real world right?

Let’s hear it for the unvaccinated kids trailing a blaze in this brave new world. Pretty odd we expect my 7 yr old to mask it up and tough it out. But not vaccinated corp employees.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

As a non-U.S citizen, I can’t imagine how unbelievably complicated/difficult it must be to control the virus in such a large territory. The EU seems to be doing well by virtue of smaller countries, having the vaccine quicker and vaccine education.

 

[starman111]

Let’s hear it for the unvaccinated kids trailing a blaze in this brave new world. Pretty odd we expect my 7 yr old to mask it up and tough it out. But not vaccinated corp employees.

Personally, I don't think kids should be toughing it out either. Let's keep schools closed until kids can get vaccinated.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Personally, I don't think kids should be toughing it out either. Let's keep schools closed until kids can get vaccinated.

We should just shut everything down in this world until this virus is killed.

 

[Adithya007]

There goes my hope for iPhone 14 or iOS 16.

 

[Akrapovic]

That's not what Tim Cook (CEO) thinks...

In June, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a memo saying that employees needed to return to the office at least three days a week beginning in September. Many

“For all that we’ve been able to achieve while many of us have been separated, the truth is that there has been something essential missing from this past year: each other,” he said. “Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate.”

In the letter Wednesday, Cook also encouraged all employees to get vaccinated.

“For now, let me simply say that I look forward to seeing your faces,” he said in closing. “I know I’m not alone in missing the hum of activity, the energy, creativity and collaboration of our in-person meetings and the sense of community we’ve all built.”

Source: https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/2/2...ek-september?scrolla=5eb6d68b7fedc32c19ef33b4

Tim doesn't say that the jobs can't be done remotely. He says that video calls cannot replicate an office - and I agree with that.

However, if you want it broken down to its simple terms

- a shop cannot operate without staff in it. Therefore the shops are open with the staff.
- an office can operate without staff in it. Therefore the offices are closed, as the risk/reward ratio doesn't make sense.

I feel like people are not taking into account the logistics of returning to an office when you include things like social distancing, social areas, food and water preparation areas, etc. The risk/reward is simply not in the balance of returning to an office yet.

 

[Seanm87]

Just get vaccinated and get on with it ffs. In the UK we’re at almost 90% vax and everything is back to normal.

 

[0924487]

First, it was September... then October, and now January. Can’t even work 3 days a week inside the office. Pathetic!

It cost Apple $5 billion dollars for Apple to build the (Spaceship) HQ and now it’s just sitting there with no employees working inside the building.

What about the retail employees? How come they're still obligated to work inside the stores??

I think the managers and the executives are still working there in Apple donut 🍩.

Retail employees are not knowledge workers. They have no real way of working from home other than call centre jobs, which I think is a horrible job.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Just get vaccinated and get on with it ffs. In the UK we’re at almost 90% vax and everything is back to normal.

Major Props to the UK. It's so political in the US. Some people are really against the vaccine and they are offended by it. It's very sad

 

[laz232]

As a non-U.S citizen, I can’t imagine how unbelievably complicated/difficult it must be to control the virus in such a large territory. The EU seems to be doing well by virtue of smaller countries, having the vaccine quicker and vaccine education.

What are you talking about?

UK, France, Greece, Ireland, and USA all have 2k-4k cases /1M last week

COVID-19 Weekly Trends by Country - Worldometer

New cases and deaths in the last 7 days vs. the preceding week. Absolute and percentage change, weekly cases and deaths per million people in every country in the world

www.worldometers.info

 

[laz232]

Just get vaccinated and get on with it ffs. In the UK we’re at almost 90% vax and everything is back to normal.

Check Israel

 

[bigandtasty]

Truth is, nobody’s returning to the mothership..not anybody that worked there before the pandemic. Mid terms coming mean more variants and lockdowns, get ready to bend over for the man (please don’t let it be Tim apple!)

 

[Reason077]

When employees are required to return, they will be expected to work at the office at least three days a week -- Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays -- with remote work on Wednesday and Friday available.

Isn't the purpose of having 3 days a week in the office so that buildings are less crowded? Whats the point if everyone is coming in on the same days?

 

[RedTheReader]

First, it was September... then October, and now January. Can’t even work 3 days a week inside the office. Pathetic!

I don’t think this delay is because of employees preferring to work from home. It might be a factor, but I doubt it’s the whole motivation.

 

[Reason077]

Let’s hear it for the unvaccinated kids trailing a blaze in this brave new world. Pretty odd we expect my 7 yr old to mask it up and tough it out. But not vaccinated corp employees.

I'm certain that Apple, of all companies, has more than its fair share of corporate snowflakes.

 

[scaramoosh]

Average age of death for men in the UK from Covid 19 is 81, for women is 85... official ONS numbers. This isn't even a virus that kills obese people, considering a third of the population is obese and a third isn't dying from Covid 19... and most of the obese make up the elderly. Life expectancy is lower than the average age of death from Covid 19.

Where is the problem?

 

[lolOwO]

lol the vaccine works, but we need to keep acting like it doesnt

 

[Sir Ruben]

Just get vaccinated and get on with it ffs. In the UK we’re at almost 90% vax and everything is back to normal.

What are you on about 'everything is back to normal'??

Yes our UK vaccination program has gone very well however there are still over 30k people a day testing positive for Covid, and a lot of the forward thinking companies here have changed the way they work forever.

I work for a very well known company and we have moved to a model where we can work from home the majority of the time and just visit the offices on those occasions where we need to collaborate on something.

Apple's stance on this is very backward and at odds with the company they project themselves to be. If they truly cared about wellbeing and the environment they wouldn't want to bring in this 3 day a week minimum model. Apple are very good at appearing to care.