Apple enforces 3-day office rule; defiance risks termination
Apple started requiring its remote employees to visit the workplace at least three times per week in September. Some of its employees criticised the strategy and demanded a more flexible work environment.
Over 500 companies, including Google, Amazon, Meta, and Twitter, have laid off over 1.5 lakh workers this year alone, creating a commotion in the tech sector. Apple, on the other hand, has not adopted extensive layoffs, despite the fact that the industry is resorting to harsh cost-cutting measures in order to deal with slowdown post-Covid bubble burst. However, in order to improve efficiency, the iPhone maker is said to have tightened employee working conditions by mandating them to work from office at least 3 days a week, or face termination. (ALSO READ: Apple delays bonuses, limits hiring in latest cost-cutting move)
“Apple is tracking employee attendance (via badge records) and will give employees escalating warnings if they don't come in 3x per week,” tweeted Platformer's managing editor, Zoe Schiffer, adding that some organisations of the company can even fire employees who are failing to comply with the guidelines.
"At Apple, some orgs are saying failure to comply could result in termination, but that doesn't appear to be a company-wide policy," she added.
Beginning in September, Apple asked its remote workers to come into the office at least three times per week. A section of its workers criticised the policy, requesting a more flexible working environment.
Apple Together, a petitioner group claiming to be a global solidarity union of Apple employees, demanded that leadership consider the unique demands of each job position as well as the diversity of people.
“Those asking for more flexible arrangements have many compelling reasons and circumstances: from disabilities (visible or not); family care; safety, health, and environmental concerns; financial considerations; to just plain being happier and more productive,” the petition read.
