Apple Laying Off Some Corporate Retail Employees

[MacRumors]

Apple is planning to cut a small number of corporate retail employees that are on its development and preservation teams, reports Bloomberg. The employees that are part of the downsizing handle the construction and upkeep of Apple retail locations worldwide.

It is not clear how many positions Apple is eliminating, but Bloomberg says the cuts are "likely very small." Still, this is the first known report of Apple culling its internal workforce to cut spending. Back in June 2022, the company laid off up to 100 contractors that handled recruiting, but contractors are not full-time workers. Apple has also cut engineers and security guards that held contracting roles.

Apple told employees that these are not layoffs, but streamlining, and that the changes are aimed at improving the upkeep of stores globally. Those who were cut have the option to reapply for positions similar to their prior job, and those who do not take on a new role could get up to four months of pay.

Apple in November paused hiring for most jobs outside of research and development, and in March of this year, Apple expanded the hiring freeze. For many teams, Apple has halted hiring, and when employees leave, positions are being left open. Slowing hiring has allowed Apple to avoid the widespread layoffs that other tech companies have announced in recent months.

Twitter has eliminated thousands of employees following the takeover by Elon Musk, and last month, Facebook announced plans to lay off approximately 10,000 employees. Microsoft cut its AI ethics team in March following several prior layoff events, and Google parent company Alphabet laid off 12,000 employees in January.

Article Link: Apple Laying Off Some Corporate Retail Employees

 

[LeeW]

Even Apple has to think about spending. Google, FaceBook, Twitter, and others shouldn't have hired the numbers they did in the first place.

 

[JPack]

What is "corporate retail"?

 

[rpmurray]

Apple told employees that these are not layoffs, but terminations (AKA firing).

Fixed this for you.

 

[Ion-X]

Apple: Makes $30 billion in profit every quarter

Also Apple: Here let’s fire some people making $30 an hour! That’ll really move the needle.

 

[7149041]

What is "corporate retail"?

My guess is "corporate retail employee" is someone working for the Apple corporation on running the stores, where a "retail employee" would be a person simply working at an Apple Store.

 

[Saturnine]

I find it quite sad that a company with $20B in cash, another $180B in investments and assets, which made a profit of $30B in the last quarter alone feels the need to lay off some of its lower earning employees.

I understand that all areas of a business should be individually profitable and that this is the nature of doing business, but there’s just something about it that feels morally wrong. Gotta keep that share price high and squeeze out a few more million in profit rather than keep relatively low-earning Josh from Ohio and hundreds of others in a job.

 

[t0rqx]

Apple: Makes $30 billion in profit every quarter

Also Apple: Here let’s fire some people making $30 an hour! That’ll really move the needle.

They also do this with their products like the Macbook Pro M2 Max heatsink which they save probably 10 cts for the decrease in size.

 

[MacLawyer]

"Apple told employees that these are not layoffs, but streamlining." But you still get a pink slip.

 

[eveluvsrainbows]

Apple: Makes $30 billion in profit every quarter

Also Apple: Here let’s fire some people making $30 an hour! That’ll really move the needle.

Laying off people in corporate is arguably better than letting go of people who work in the retail stores. Corporate employees have the ability to look for new jobs, potentially jobs that pay better than the old one. Retail employees who work in stores aren't really afforded that opportunity due to the sector they work in, and that sucks, but is usually the case.

 

[7149041]

to lay off some of its lower earning employees

Here let’s fire some people making $30 an hour!

employees that are on its development and preservation teams does not sound like regular App Store employees. They are trimming the corporate fat.

 

[yeah]

I find it quite sad that a company with $20B in cash, another $180B in investments and assets, which made a made of $30B in the last quarter alone feels the need to lay off some of its lower earning employees.

I understand that all areas of a business should be individually profitable and that this is the nature of doing business, but there’s just something about it that feels morally wrong. Gotta keep that share price high and squeeze out a few more million in profit rather than keep relatively low-earning Josh from Ohio and hundreds of others in a job.

Morally wrong yes but all businesses in the world and especially in the United States operate with 100% monetary greed and any indication of profit loss will result in expulsion of employees.

It is sad, and it's a pain to just find out one day that poof your job is gone... It's unfair.

 

[citysnaps]

Apple: Makes $30 billion in profit every quarter

Also Apple: Here let’s fire some people making $30 an hour! That’ll really move the needle.

If because of the current uncertain economic situation there is no corporate work for those people, should they continue drawing a salary and benefits doing nothing? For how long?

I suspect they got a decent termination package on the way out.

 

[Chambers McMac]

I find it quite sad that a company with $20B in cash, another $180B in investments and assets, which made a made of $30B in the last quarter alone feels the need to lay off some of its lower earning employees.

I understand that all areas of a business should be individually profitable and that this is the nature of doing business, but there’s just something about it that feels morally wrong. Gotta keep that share price high and squeeze out a few more million in profit rather than keep relatively low-earning Josh from Ohio and hundreds of others in a job.

It’s the in thing right now and to not lay off workers is not in currently. Once they feel the ooze of that additional money coming in from that move they might lay off more workers because it’s ok, because brother Google and sister Amazon did it too. Yea!!!!

 

[Art Mark]

Morally wrong yes but all businesses in the world and especially in the United States operate with 100% monetary greed and any indication of profit loss will result in expulsion of employees.

It is sad, and it's a pain to just find out one day that poof your job is gone... It's unfair.

And that's why employees have no ethical issues with pulling whatever they want on their corporate overlords. The corporations will cut your throat to please shareholders. Employees deserve to do the same to the corporations I suppose.

 

[0924487]

Microsoft cut its AI ethics team

I'm pretty sure that's lobbied by ChatGPT himself 😂

 

[boss.king]

Apple told employees that these are not layoffs, but streamlining, and that the changes are aimed at improving the upkeep of stores globally. Those who were cut have the option to reapply for positions similar to their prior job, and those who do not take on a new role could get up to four months of pay.

How exactly are these not layoffs?

 

[sw1tcher]

Tim Cook's like "If I gotta take a pay cut, then I'm gonna fire some people."

 

[jz0309]

Unfortunately this being driven by the current economic conditions, could be worse for Apple employees, eg Amazon, Google, Twitter, Intel and many other come to mind.

 

[Realityck]

What is "corporate retail"?

Enterprise sales aka large corporations

 

[gund1234]

Apple: Makes $30 billion in profit every quarter

Also Apple: Here let’s fire some people making $30 an hour! That’ll really move the needle.

we really don't know how much they were making.
And doesn't matter how much money a company makes, they will squeeze every penny from employees, suppliers, Most of the executives compensation is based on stock price.

 

[newyorksole]

I find it quite sad that a company with $20B in cash, another $180B in investments and assets, which made a made of $30B in the last quarter alone feels the need to lay off some of its lower earning employees.

I understand that all areas of a business should be individually profitable and that this is the nature of doing business, but there’s just something about it that feels morally wrong. Gotta keep that share price high and squeeze out a few more million in profit rather than keep relatively low-earning Josh from Ohio and hundreds of others in a job.

let this be a reminder that as high and mighty Apple is, they are still a business and still need to please shareholders.

I definitely agree with you, but it just is what it is. it’s every man for themselves in this world and in business.

 

[UnbreakableAlex]

Maybe we should quit this shareholder thing. It’s nothing but trouble.

 

[BellSystem]

nOt lAyOfFs

Ya ok….sure…..

 

[Mr. Dee]

Everyone, brace for impact, its gonna be a bumpy ride this summer!