Apple's Corporate Employees Returning to Offices on Hybrid Schedule Starting Today

Corporate Apple employees in the United States began returning to their offices today, ending a two-year work from home policy that Apple implemented during the pandemic. Employees at locations like Apple Park and Infinite Loop were last month given a deadline of April 11 for returning to in-person work.

apple park drone june 2018 2
Apple has been eager to get employees back in the office and scheduled return dates several times, only to have to push those dates back as COVID infection rates surged. Apple delayed the official return indefinitely back in December, promising to give employees at least one month notice to prepare to return to offices. The notice was sent out in March following a drop in infections and a relaxing of social distancing and masking policies across the U.S.

Though many tech companies have implemented permanent work from home options for some employees, Apple is not one of them. Throughout the global health crisis, Apple has made it clear that employees would eventually need to return to in-person work and collaboration.

"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," Apple CEO Tim Cook told employees back in June 2021. "Video conference calling has narrowed the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things it simply cannot replicate."

Apple is not forcing employees to return to the office five days a week, and has instead adopted a gradual return strategy and a hybrid home/office work policy. Apple employees are currently required to work from the office at least one day per week by April 11, at least two days per week by May 2, and at least three days per week by May 23.

When the three-day in-office work policy is enacted on May 23, employees will be required to be in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, with most able to work remotely on Wednesdays and Fridays.

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Top Rated Comments

Nicole1980 Avatar
40 months ago
Covid may go on in some form or another far into the indefinite future. Maybe for decades. Who knows. People need to stop living in fear and hiding and live their lives again. That includes going to work.

If they can make the case that they are in particular risk, or are around family/friends who are, then that should be considered. But otherwise, get over the extreme fear and get on with your life.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iHorseHead Avatar
40 months ago

All their software got super buggy while they were home half-a$$ working, so I’m glad they are back at the office. Now they need to squash a record number of bugs or find a new job…
What bugs are you talking about? I haven't experienced any. The latest releases are far more stable than for example High Sierra was.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
w5jck Avatar
40 months ago
All their software got super buggy while they were home half-a$$ working, so I’m glad they are back at the office. Now they need to squash a record number of bugs or find a new job…
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DesignTime Avatar
40 months ago
I love how it alway seems the first posts on articles about Apple employees going back to the office are people saying “it’s time to get back to work”. Not sure about them, but I’ve been working the last two years.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
40 months ago
It’s an architecturally unique building but geez- having a desk in that giant ring seems like it would be so demoralizing
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrisdazzo Avatar
40 months ago
RTO was inevitable, and honestly if I wasn't a high-earning exec working at Apple and had to drive or commute to the Apple campus in SoCal (where I lived for 15 years), I'd probably say "no", too. I dislike remote work personally as I believe there's an aspect of "out of sight, out of mind" when attempting to move up in certain companies, but commuting seems to take a lot out of people, and there is merit to both sides of the coin. Sucks that it's becoming this big battle between work and worker, apparently.

That said, there are a lot of boomer-sounding opinions here that appear to be trying to blame a perceived degradation in product quality on "lazy and entitled" employees or something. Weird. WFH works for some people, sorry your perception of "normal" has been upended and you're uncomfortable with it.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)