Tim Cook seems to think it's necessary. That's all that matters.
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Apple Staff Complain About Plans for Return to Office Work in Letter to Tim Cook
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Unless workers presenting/performing to/interacting with a live audience is a core requirement of their job (as in truly necessary to produce deliverables, not an “enhancer”), you should be able to evaluate their performance without them being in the same space as you: sales, # of commits, documentation delivered, deadlines met, uptime %, campaign ROI, cases handled, etc.
Too many managers are overly concerned with unnecessary “presence”, and then form a positive or negative cognitive bias towards employees that influences their perception of someone’s “performance” that isn’t actually indicative of their performance. They grade on the sizzle of optics, not the steak of actual performance. It’s even funnier that these types are more than likely the emperors and empresses that have no clothes themselves, so of course they’re invested in the status quo and perpetuating it.
It’s like hazing, in a sense. Rather than focus on inherent value of any activity/process/workflow, these people cling to “I went through it, you should too”, regardless of its contribution to the results.
Plenty of people will say “that’s just how work is” or “how people are”, but I don’t subscribe to that. Eliminate unnecessary procedures, get rid of stupid customs.
You're exactly right.
The entire problem is establishing what necessary means in a given context and recognizing that it won't be the same in another given siutation.
Depends on how critical they were. Rules usually don't apply to the "rainmakers" in any org.
Some of the Apple engineers bringing work from home up on Twitter are workaholics that are certainly putting more then 8 hours a day in.
Power?!? Apple pays them for a service. And, that service involves them attending the office when asked to / required. The employee is always free to seek employment elsewhere. No one is forcing anyone to do anything.
True, but would you agree that employees have a right to at least weigh in with an opinion? Sure, they might get "Show up, or go away. Sucks, but deal." from the Company. No problem with that at all, it's the Company's right. But, then everyone at least knows what options to pursue.
Instead of writing that letter they should give 10 reasons why Apple should leave them at home. Probably they will (without pay) 🤣 .
Certainly the letter could be perceived as a bit whiny, however, they at least provided their reasons. In part:
- Diversity and Inclusion in Retention and Hiring
- Tearing Down Previously Existing Communication Barriers
- Better Work Life Balance
- Better Integration of Existing Remote / Location-Flexible Workers
- Reduced Spread of Pathogens
Employees should be allowed to state their objections. An employer should be allowed to dismiss (the objections) them or compromise. I don’t think 3 days a week is a huge ask and doesn’t seem unreasonable.
I’m also willing to bet Apple is the kind of company that will be flexible if someone has a real reason why they need to work from home rather than just not wanting to go to the office.
I’m also willing to bet Apple is the kind of company that will be flexible if someone has a real reason why they need to work from home rather than just not wanting to go to the office.
They are great job of exhibiting control just to demonstrate they can. Apple Pay’s them for a service, true, but they don’t have absolute power. Any replacement should also have a right to work from home. We are way past asking permission.
One is within your rights to hand in their resignations if they don’t like the terms of their employment.
Reading Marketwatch article
a response from Mark W is worth noting here.
a response from Mark W is worth noting here.
That mention that they don't need compete for employees because they are one of the most valuable brand names to be associated with, means that the 80 or so people that penned that letter don't have many options. They can only hope that Apple has sensible people that will make the right decisions for each employee that merits exceptions to returning to work.
Well said. It's sad to see so many people on this forum siding with selfish corporate interests instead of with the average workers.
You can’t believe that, right? Do you work for Foxconn? People shouldn’t have to worry about losing their job just to be safe.
Many of the diner type restaurants in my area aren’t seating customers or closing because apparently cooks are quitting over wages.
Seems to me like they have more options than you might think with "Apple" on their CV.
Dude it’s 2021. Everyone knows unemployment has the most competitive wages.
The comments on here crack me up. It’s clear that most of the people on here are either older (might I even say boomers) or they don’t work in an IT/software field. The software company I work for has basically announced the same model as Apple, and 90-95% of the company DO NOT want to come back to the office. We’ve already lost one employee this week and many more are looking for other jobs.
comments like “get over it, get back to the office” are short sited. If a company is able to successfully perform while the majority of their employees work from home, then why force people to come back. The “because that’s how we’ve always done it” argument is bad for business. As an employee, why would I want to spent thousands in gas a year, hours a week in traffic, and see my coworkers more than my family.
The work world is evolving and there are TONS of jobs right now that will pay really well and allow you to work from anyway. This isnt about being spoiled, but a realization that an old school model of in office work is both limiting and inefficient. Apple might be a “prestigious” job, but at the end of the day for your average developer at the company, the pay and benefits are a dime a dozen. If you’re good enough to work at Apple, you’re not going to have any trouble finding remote work.
in the end, this policy will hurt Apple, and any other company not willing to be flexible and listen to their employees. We live in a borderless job market now, and employee’s have more power/options than ever before.
comments like “get over it, get back to the office” are short sited. If a company is able to successfully perform while the majority of their employees work from home, then why force people to come back. The “because that’s how we’ve always done it” argument is bad for business. As an employee, why would I want to spent thousands in gas a year, hours a week in traffic, and see my coworkers more than my family.
The work world is evolving and there are TONS of jobs right now that will pay really well and allow you to work from anyway. This isnt about being spoiled, but a realization that an old school model of in office work is both limiting and inefficient. Apple might be a “prestigious” job, but at the end of the day for your average developer at the company, the pay and benefits are a dime a dozen. If you’re good enough to work at Apple, you’re not going to have any trouble finding remote work.
in the end, this policy will hurt Apple, and any other company not willing to be flexible and listen to their employees. We live in a borderless job market now, and employee’s have more power/options than ever before.
Yeah working for low wages so you can die to a virus or ruin your health, what a great deal!
You seem to think Apple is a burger joint of some sort. When you're hiring talented and scarce labor, the power relationship goes the other way.