Apple Staff Feel “Actively Ignored” Over Return-To-Office Policy

38141623 - los angeles - 21 march 2015: apple store on 3rd street promenade in santa monica ca united states. the retail chain owned and operated by apple inc is dealing with computers and electronics worldwide.

There is tension coming out of Apple HQ, with reports of tension between staff and management over the company’s return to work policy.

Similar to Google, Apple is now encouraging its staff to return to the office three days a week, starting from September.

In a letter to staff, the company said in-person collaboration was too important to ignore, despite the proven success of remote work.

“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,” said company CEO Tim Cook, according to The Verge.

“Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate.”

“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.”

However, the push to get staff back into the offices has not been entirely well-received, with reports that around 80 Apple staff members have composed a letter to management questioning the decision.

According to reports, the letter started in a Slack channel for “remote work advocates”, which has 2,800 members.

“We would like to take the opportunity to communicate a growing concern among our colleagues,” the letter says.

“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.

“Over the last year we often felt not just unheard, but at times actively ignored.

“Messages like, ‘we know many of you are eager to reconnect in person with your colleagues back in the office,’ with no messaging acknowledging that there are directly contradictory feelings amongst us feels dismissive and invalidating…It feels like there is a disconnect between how the executive team thinks about remote / location-flexible work and the lived experiences of many of Apple’s employees.”

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