Apple CEO Tim Cook 'Can't Wait' for Employees to Return to In-Person Work

Apple CEO Tim Cook is eager for employees to return to the office following the pandemic and in an interview with People, he said he anticipates Apple implementing a "hybrid environment" to return to in-person work.

tim cook apple park
Cook said that it's important for people to "physically be in touch" because you can't plan collaboration and innovation.

"Innovation isn't always a planned activity," Cook adds. "It's bumping into each other over the course of the day and advancing an idea that you just had. And you really need to be together to do that."

Apple has an open floor plan model that's designed to encourage employees to interact with one another, and Cook says that Apple is still "figuring out" how to manage that as people return to work. The time away from the office has, however, taught Apple that some things are "perfectly great" to do virtually.

"We have realized and learned that there are some things that are perfectly great to do virtually across Zoom or WebEx, whatever, or FaceTime, whatever you might have. So I think it'll be, I'll call it a hybrid environment [for] a little bit."

Cook also took the opportunity to point out the work that Apple employees did while working remotely. Cook said that Apple had an "enormous, prolific period" with the introduction of the 5G iPhone 12 lineup and the M1 Macs. "These are major, major accomplishments," he said.

"We're very much an in-person team because we believe that's best for collaboration," Cook told People. "But we knew that was no longer possible, or not possible for this period of time. And so we had to reinvent ourselves."

Cook said that there was no firm return to work date, but he "can't wait" for Apple employees to be back at work.

In addition to commenting on Apple's future plans for employees returning to work, Cook answered a series of quick questions about his daily routine. Cook said that he goes to bed right around 9:30 p.m., and wakes up at 4:00 a.m. He opens up Apple News first thing in the morning, and coffee and his iPhone are two things he can't live without.

Cook said that he recently "binged" Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso," and that strength training is his favorite workout. Cook also said that he last FaceTimed his nephew, his favorite emoji is the peace sign emoji (✌️) and that he hopes to take a trip to Glacier National Park in the future.

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...

Top Rated Comments

bklement Avatar
57 months ago
Open floor offices are among the greatest mistakes managers every came up with.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blazerunner Avatar
57 months ago
Working from home has been a blessing; no need to waste time in traffic, no need to waste money on gas, no need to use gas and pollute environment, no need to be around ******* coworkers (I was stuck with a bunch of close minded 50+ year old indian men that refused to speak english around me, even when i joined them for lunch)...

I don't miss the office AT ALL.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MLMcMillion Avatar
57 months ago

Apple has an open floor plan model that's designed to encourage employees to interact with one another
Yeesh. As a developer who works remotely, I can't fathom how people think this is still a good idea.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
phobos512 Avatar
57 months ago
Translation: They have a giant empty campus they're paying for that they need to extract some value from.

I personally would be happy never returning to the office. I have been to my office three times in the last year. I manage a remote team of contractors anyway. I can do that from anywhere on Earth.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
munpip214 Avatar
57 months ago
Apple Employees 'Can’t Wait' to Return to In-Person Work as long as they can do it at home.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
routine_analyst Avatar
57 months ago

Yeah I mean who wants to meet people? Who wants to move their body all day to chat to people? Who needs social etiquette or dress well in public? Lunch with colleagues? We should remain at home all the time with no physical contact until we die from mental health problems. Loneliness is so cool. Am sure some Silicon Valley VCs have plans to exploit and monetize your life without a social circle. ???
"I LIKE IT SO YOU HAVE TO"


We are created to be social beings. We can emulate all the things we need, but nothing can match the real thing. I like the idea of creating more flexibility and have a less rigid onsite policy. I am in favor of set days people come in to foster the positive elements he is endorsing.
"I LIKE IT SO YOU HAVE TO"
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)