Apple Employees Asked to Return to Offices for Three Days a Week Starting in September

[MacRumors]

Apple corporate employees will be returning to the office for three days a week starting in early September, Apple CEO Tim Cook told workers today in a memo that was seen by The Verge.

"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," Cook said in the memo. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."

Most employees will be asked to return to their offices on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with the option of working remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. Teams that require in-person work will return to the office for four to five days a week.

Employees will also be able to work entirely remotely for up to two weeks every year, but the remote work requests will need to be approved by managers.

Cook wrapped up the memo by saying that he's looking forward to seeing employee faces. "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," he wrote.

Apple employees are likely expecting to be required to return to Apple campuses and offices around the world, as Apple has always heavily focused on the importance of in-person collaboration. Back in March, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that he couldn't wait for employees to return to work, and he said that Apple would implement a "hybrid environment" for the return.

Article Link: Apple Employees Asked to Return to Offices for Three Days a Week Starting in September

 

[countryside]

Work remotely for only 2 weeks a year? Huh, doesn’t sound like much. 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[sirozha]

They spent billions on that new campus in Cupertino and didn't really get to use it before the pandemic struck. Letting engineers work from home is not an option for Apple. However, it's pretty stupid that people will be dragged to the office in the Silicon Valley traffic three times per week simply to justify the existence of that office space. Selling it is not an option either. Who in their right mind in the Silicon Valley would want to buy a multi-billion dollar office space, whereas everyone has learned that working from home is much more productive?

 

[Techwatcher]

Well that was fast lol. I expect many other places to follow suit. 😔

 

[b11051973]

Same at my job. Back to the office on September 7th. The vast majority of people will only have to come in three days a week.

 

[jz0309]

surprised that they're waiting til September, and 3 days/week ... I know of quite a few companies in the Bay Area that are requiring to be at work as early as mid Jun ("official" CA re-opening for businesses) with no remote options ...

 

[munpip214]

Now that we’ve been home so long they need to start adding incentives to go back, like paying for gas/transit plus time commuting.

 

[dannyyankou]

No surprise, by then any employees that wanted to get vaccinated could’ve. It’s time to get back to the office.

 

[asdavis10]

I can understand Apple's secrecy. Two weeks isn't much considering what we've been through. But every business is different. Me and my teams will work remotely indefinitely with only minimal time in office.

 

[munpip214]

My team said January. Let others figure it out for a few months and see how it goes then we might jump back.

 

[Macintosh IIvx]

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on May 28 updated its guidance related to COVID-19, vaccines and the workplace. As part of the guidance, the EEOC said federal Equal Employment Opportunity laws don’t prevent employers from requiring workers physically entering the workplace to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as long as employers comply with other laws such as the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).

 

[edolecki]

Apple corporate employees will be returning to the office for three days a week starting in early September, Apple CEO Tim Cook told workers today in a memo that was seen by The Verge.

"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," Cook said in the memo. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."

Most employees will be asked to return to their offices on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with the option of working remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays. Teams that require in-person work will return to the office for four to five days a week.

Employees will also be able to work entirely remotely for up to two weeks every year, but the remote work requests will need to be approved by managers.

Cook wrapped up the memo by saying that he's looking forward to seeing employee faces. "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," he wrote.



Article Link: Apple

Well that was fast lol. I expect many other places to follow suit. 😔

My group is proposing in office TWTH 10-3. I think that works.

 

[citysnaps]

deleted

 

[Macintosh IIvx]

Now that we’ve been home so long they need to start adding incentives to go back, like paying for gas/transit plus time commuting.

You mean like the buses and other transportation that Apple and countless other Silicon Valley companies have offered the past 20 years or so?

Companies aren't going to start paying for peoples cars and gas plus time commuting. When it comes down to it, you want the top paying jobs, you're going to have to do what the employer wants.

 

[citysnaps]

They spent billions on that new campus in Cupertino and didn't really get to use it before the pandemic struck. Letting engineers work from home is not an option for Apple. However, it's pretty stupid that people will be dragged to the office in the Silicon Valley traffic three times per week simply to justify the existence of that office space. Selling it is not an option either. Who in their right mind in the Silicon Valley would want to buy a multi-billion dollar office space, whereas everyone has learned that working from home is much more productive?

Don't worry. It's great that Apple is transitioning occupancy rather than making a mandatory 5 days a week starting now/soon. Makes a lot of sense. And Apple certainly has no desire to sell their headquarters complex.

I suspect it will be five days a week starting in January. Life goes on.

 

[mkenne2586]

Now that we’ve been home so long they need to start adding incentives to go back, like paying for gas/transit plus time commuting.

I don’t know how to tell you this but….your salary already includes money for commuting...and it was your choice where you wanted to live back when you needed to go to the office.

 

[no_idea]

It’s funny how ppl claim they are much more productive working from home…keep telling yourself that after you attend your one 30 minute meeting in the morning and then binge watch Netflix all day and occasionally tap your keyboard for “presence”

 

[derek1984]

If I am a competing company, I am taking note and will offer more time working from home, even up to permanently. Once a lot of talent leaves Apple because of this reason, only then will they then be forced to change their policy.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Sounds reasonable to me. I bet a lot of employees have appreciated being able to work from home for as long as they did. Time to move forward.

 

[brendu]

Now that we’ve been home so long they need to start adding incentives to go back, like paying for gas/transit plus time commuting.

Here’s your incentive. You want a job? Go to work. Seems like a good incentive.

 

[Act3]

lol, time to get back to the office.... my work life hasn't changed at all since day 1 of pandemic other than a loosely enforced mask policy... we gotta keep the lights on for you all.

 

[Mrjetsondc]

Lol 😆 ! Apple paid billions for that campus and now Timmy is forcing his minions to do his bidding! Get back to work plebs! I must micromanage you to death!

hey Timmy, you want your time as ceo to end soon? Force them to come to the office and watch how many people quit.

 

[topdrawer]

and the housing market goes into a tail spin yet again.

 

[seeandbee]

After what we ve all been through 2 weeks remote working per year is a sure way to make all the international (especially Europe based) talent move to more flexible companies… Very US centric approach.

 

[citysnaps]

Sounds reasonable to me. I bet a lot of employees have appreciated being able to work from home for as long as they did. Time to move forward.

Absolutely on that!