Leaked Apple memo tells employees that they'll be coming into the office at least 3 days a week from September
- Reference: 1625071563
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/06/30/apple_hybrid_working/
- Source link:
Earlier this month, the company said it would adopt a [1]hybrid working pattern from September, provoking some employees to quit as a result.
Now, in a [2]clip obtained by The Verge , Deirdre O'Brien, senior veep of retail and people, reiterated the same platitudes about collaboration we saw in CEO Tim Cook's all-hands memo.
[3]
"We believe that in-person collaboration is essential to our culture and our future," she said. "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."
[4]Apple to summon staff back to the office in September
[5]Samsung commits to 5 years of Android updates... for its enterprise smartphone users at least
[6]The M in M1 is for moans: How do you turn a new MacBook Pro into a desktop workhorse?
[7]See what's on the slab: Apple reportedly mulls stretching the iPad Pro to 14 and 16 inches
From September, Apple will require all employees to be physically present at the office at least three days a week: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Other employees would be required to work from the office full time, depending on their role.
To sweeten the blow, Apple said it would allow employees to work fully remotely for two weeks each year, allowing them to temporarily relocate to be closer to family, or just to get a reprieve from the tedium and expense of commuting.
[8]
Not everyone was happy, and shortly after Cook's memo a group of Apple employees signed a letter urging the company to reconsider. It [9]stated :
"That Apple’s remote/location-flexible work policy, and the communication around it, have already forced some of our colleagues to quit. 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."
[10]
Although COVID cases have plummeted thanks to the US vaccine programme, childcare is still a challenge for many. Daycare facilities remain closed or in short supply in some places, and some schools continue to operate with a hybrid timetable.
The tech world is divided about the future role of the office, with Twitter and Pinterest [11]allowing employees to work remotely indefinitely . Others, including Google, are [12]urging the adoption of a mixed remote/in-person approach , while [13]Workday is calling for a return to the corporate altar. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/03/apple_workers_office/
[2] https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/29/22556615/apple-response-hybrid-work-model-employee-letter-remote
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YNzpfmUrq4Nks@76DHvdiwAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/03/apple_workers_office/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/29/samsung_five_year_android/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/29/m1_macbook_to_desktop_workstation/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/28/report_apple_mulls_stretching_the/
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YNzpfmUrq4Nks@76DHvdiwAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/4/22491629/apple-employees-push-back-return-office-internal-letter-tim-cook
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YNzpfmUrq4Nks@76DHvdiwAAAIU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2020/05/13/twitter_employees_homework/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/14/google_work_from_home/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/18/workday_ceo_says_oracle_way/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: First world problems
> Maybe they'll think of offering the same terms to refuse workers, power engineers or medical staff!
Ah, bless their privileged little hearts! Maybe they'll think of offering the same terms to sewer divers, crime scene cleaners or artificial insemination technicians!
Re: First world problems
> or being a part of Apple
Part of Apple costs, but not profits :-)
"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."
So, they don't actually know what the effect of remote collaborative working is yet? Maybe if this years and/or next years launches go ok, they'll eat a little bit of humble pie?
RE: Correction
"If we take a moment to reflect on our incredible, designer-built and iconic California headquarters, you'll realize that we as a corporation have a lot invested in our real estate values. If workers no longer need the public and work spaces that we built for your enslavement daily work, then we stand to lose a substantial sum as said values on corporate offices decline worldwide.
We therefore need every wage slave , err every worker brainwashed to the value of mass corporatism - let's try that again - valued Apple employee, to occasionally come in to visit their personal workspace in order for us to continue justifying both middle management's income / status, as well as the enslavement continuation of 'corporate culture'."
FIFY
Tough Call
I managed development teams for many years and have been responsible for recruitment, development, appraisals, discipline, pay-rises, promotions, mentoring, etc. Many of these depend on seeing how people work, not just in a project team, but in the company, with customers, with awkward people, with directors (!)....etc. An engineering graduate will be taken on mainly because they got a good, relevant degree. But they might be destined to be a technical leader, a systems engineer, a project manager, a test lead, a function manager, a commercial officer......etc. For many of these roles I'd find it hard to judge their potential if I only ever saw them on zoom and when they came to the office for project-specific meetings. I had a guy who was desperate to move into "management" but delegating most of my work to him while I had a week off disabused both of us of his suitability. Another engineer's potential as a leader only became obvious when he diffused a difficult situation in the canteen one day - nothing to do with work.
Also, shit but true, for the vast majority of engineers, their pay rise will correlate strongly with their personal attendance at work.
I'm an old git, and I assume that with enough time, thought, tools, etc. that things could be made to change. Problem is, as the Apple case shows, most of today's managers are also relatively old gits and I don't know if you can teach an old git new tricks.
Re: Tough Call
"Many of these depend on seeing how people work, not just in a project team, but in the company, with customers, with awkward people, with directors (!)....etc."
I find this a little strange. If their job is related to interacting with customers, for example, then you'll see how they do that when that interaction takes place. Similarly for any other meeting they have. The interactions which they need to do their job are ones you can use to determine this. While someone's non-work-related discussions may help to understand them better, the important stuff which indicates whether they can do what is needed should be part of their job. After all, you didn't figure out that the employee wasn't management material until they tried to do that work, right? You didn't just decide they weren't capable after watching them talk to someone else.
stopped reading at the word
"inclusivity".....
Monday, Tuesday, and ... Thursday?
So, is this to deliberately sabotage four-day weekends?
Given Apple's obsession with secrecy, they are probably deeply uncomfortable with having people work on new products outside of their (physical) walled garden.
might have been intended as snark, but you make a valid point re: walled garden and physical security.
First world problems
…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
Ah, bless their privileged little hearts! Maybe they'll think of offering the same terms to refuse workers, power engineers or medical staff!
Or, they could just read their employment contracts. You take Timmy's shilling, you do what he says.