It’s been a little over a week since Apple CEO Tim Cook announced a September 5th deadline for employees to return to offices for a minimum of three days a week.
Apple employees are not happy.
In an April 2022 survey conducted by Anonymous social network, Blind, 76% of Apple employees were dissatisfied with Apple’s mandated return to office policies.
A majority of those surveyed mentioned that they’re getting their work done efficiently while still maintaining deadlines.
Apple Headquarters, Apple ParkIf remote workers are being honest about their output, why does Tim Cook want them back in the office?
In short, he says, “in-person collaboration that is so essential to our culture.”
Taken from a 2021 interview with The Verge, the CEO mentioned, “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… Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate.”
Continued, “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.”
Although Apple does take the cultivation of its corporate culture seriously, it remains to be seen if work done by its own remote workers has been compromised, or if the desire to physically manage employees and resources is at the heart of this decision.