90% of respondents in Apple employee-made survey want remote work option

Posted:
in General Discussion edited July 2021
Many Apple employees want the ability to work from home and are concerned about colleagues leaving if in-office work is required, according to an internal survey designed by staffers.

Credit: Apple
Credit: Apple


Nearly 90% of respondents to the survey, which was distributed in June, said that they "strongly agree" with the statement that "location-flexible working options are a very important issue to me." Staffers defined "location-flexible" as the ability to work from home indefinitely.

According to The Verge, which obtained the survey, the question about work arrangements was answered by 1,749 people. It was reportedly sent out in a Slack channel created to discuss remote work.

About 58.5% of respondents also said they were concerned about colleagues leaving because of non-flexible work arrangements, while 36.7% said they're worried they would have to leave the company.

Designed as a grassroots effort by Apple employees, the staffers sent the results of the survey to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple people chief Deirdre O'Brien on June 14. They included a video with personal testimonies from 24 Apple workers.

Back in June, Cook announced a plan for employees to return to in-office work for three days a week starting in September. Some Apple staffers penned a letter to Cook and Apple leadership pleading for more flexible options.

On June 30, weeks after the letter was sent, O'Brien released an internal video that doubled-down on the hybrid work model, stating that "in-person collaboration is essential" to Apple's culture and future.

While Apple is not doing away with in-person work arrangements, it does appear to moving forward with hybrid models. Later in 2021, the company will test a hybrid work model for retail employees that will see them conducting remote customer service and technical support tasks in weeks when they aren't working in a store.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 30
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    90% of 1% of Apple employees strongly agree with the options they’re already getting?


    applguysdw2001
  • Reply 2 of 30
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    So what? I see this as just stirring up shit and the tech media trying to make a big deal out of it. Don't want to come in to work? Fine, find another job.

    "While Apple is not doing away with in-person work arrangements, it does appear to moving forward with hybrid models. Later in 2021, the company will test a hybrid work modelfor retail employees that will see them conducting remote customer service and technical support tasks in weeks when they aren't working in a store.”

    So customers with issues will no longer be able to make an appointment to speak with a Genius face-to-face? What if face-to-face appointments are limited becasue not enough reps are in the store to handle them? Then why even visit the store?
    edited July 2021 Cesar Battistini MazieroBeatsred oaktmayGeorgeBMacbyronlhodarphonephreak
  • Reply 3 of 30
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    If only 1749 people responded then there can't be that much strong feeling from the other thousands of employees, so maybe it's not so much of a problem.  I imagine Apple probably churn through 36.7% of 1749 people of a pretty regular basis.
  • Reply 4 of 30
    Remote work is not the same. It's terrible for the company, and for the people making their home an office. Its a place where you should be to vent and relax. 

    The mixing of these two is terrible for the mind. And as for the company just secrecy alone is a big issue.
    BeatsM68000red oakdewmeGeorgeBMacbyronlhodargeekmee
  • Reply 5 of 30
    gerardgerard Posts: 83member
    People don’t realize how spoiled they have been. If they would have been laid off until the pandemic was over; they would be clamoring to get back to work. 
    BeatspichaellkruppGeorgeBMachodar
  • Reply 6 of 30
    M68000M68000 Posts: 719member
    Remote work is not the same. It's terrible for the company, and for the people making their home an office. Its a place where you should be to vent and relax. 

    The mixing of these two is terrible for the mind. And as for the company just secrecy alone is a big issue.
    Great points.  I agree.  However, having an option for employees to work remote a couple days a month may not be bad if they wanted to.  And remote work does not always mean being at home.  I have seen some people put on some pounds from being less active by being at home so much. 
    edited July 2021
  • Reply 7 of 30
    red oakred oak Posts: 1,087member
    1,800 self-serving responses.  LoL 

    Time for these people to move on and try to find a better situation 
    tommikelephonephreak
  • Reply 8 of 30
    dee_deedee_dee Posts: 111member
    The future of software development is remote.  Apple will learn this lesson sooner or later.  Hopefully before they lose too much talent. 
    seanjlkruppIreneWbyronlmuthuk_vanalingamchemengin1
  • Reply 9 of 30
    dee_deedee_dee Posts: 111member
    red oak said:
    1,800 self-serving responses.  LoL 

    Time for these people to move on and try to find a better situation 
    Not difficult since software developers are the number 1 in demand job. 
    seanjlkruppIreneWdewmemuthuk_vanalingamchemengin1
  • Reply 10 of 30
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    Totally invalid data.  I don’t think I have to explain why.  Disregard!  
  • Reply 11 of 30

    Companies remote working causes irritation for me - as a customer - it is clear to me that most people are not suited to remote working as you need a really good appreciation of how all parts of your company/organisation works. Just doing your job causes many difficulties for the customer - the connection to important other parts of the company and people are broken.


    Having said all the above - knowing that the companies you are dealing with are at “sixes and sevens” can actually give us, the customer an advantage.


    I would advise all companies to be very careful who they allow to remote work - most people are not good at it, and in all likelihood your systems are not good enough.

    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 12 of 30
    There is a simple solution that Apple management will follow to solve the problem of the survey results: Ignore them and do whatever the heck they want to. After all, what is employee happiness, safety and productivity compared to the precious egos of the executives?
    seanjelijahgmuthuk_vanalingamchemengin1
  • Reply 13 of 30
    Rayz2016 said:
    90% of 1% of Apple employees strongly agree with the options they’re already getting?


    To be fair, it was probably mostly certain types of Apple employees. Not everyone at Apple uses Slack. 1,749 of employees that develop products is not a small number.
    edited July 2021 seanjmuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 14 of 30
    ronnronn Posts: 653member
    Apple has not only set up for a hybrid return, they doubled down on the plan. It appears Cook & O'Brien are not going to change it. If some employees are not keen on the plan, they better have their resumes polished and ready for distribution. I don't feel sorry for them as the vast majority of workers don't have the luxury of working remotely a good portion of their time. Hell, a majority have no remote option available.
  • Reply 15 of 30
    BeatsBeats Posts: 3,073member
    What’s the point of having that huge office to collaborate if you allow people to stay at home in their pajamas?




    These people are acting entitled and demanding circumstances that were put in place temporarily because of a pandemic not because of privilege or the nature of the job. Why weren’t they threatening to quit in 2019 when they were REQUIRED to show up to work??

    Dont wanna work? Quit. You’ll be home all day!
    tommikeleGeorgeBMac
  • Reply 16 of 30
    Like many people, my wife has been WFH for the last 18 months. For the most part she likes it. Going to and from the office meant 90 minutes of commute time most days.

    A couple of weeks ago she made the trip to the office so she could physically meet with her team, which hadn’t happened before as some of her team members were added during the pandemic. A few days later she did it again to meet with other people that she had previously only met via videoconference. 

    In both cases she was mildly surprised at how much better it was to see and interact with people in person, rather than just via video. It really came to light for her how much better it is to be able to walk out of her office, down the hall and have a quick, one-off conversation with someone to resolve an issue or just figure something out.

    She’s still working mostly remotely but likely spending more time in the office come September. At that time she plans to be remote a day or two a week and in the office the rest of the time.

    Her major takeaway is that in-person work shouldn’t be minimized, as for her there are clearly benefits, and remote work shouldn’t be someone’s sole option. Obviously, things will be different across different industries.
    tmaythttommikeledewmemuthuk_vanalingam
  • Reply 17 of 30
    seanjseanj Posts: 318member
    ronn said:
    Apple has not only set up for a hybrid return, they doubled down on the plan. It appears Cook & O'Brien are not going to change it. If some employees are not keen on the plan, they better have their resumes polished and ready for distribution. I don't feel sorry for them as the vast majority of workers don't have the luxury of working remotely a good portion of their time. Hell, a majority have no remote option available.
    Really? Surveys here in the U.K. showed close to 50% of employees were able to successfully work from home during the pandemic with a large proportion wanting to continue to do so.
    Now it’s true that blue collar workers and some white collar workers do have to go into work, but I’m surprised by your claim the “vast majority” of people in the USA fall into that category. You’re implying the USA workforce has less professional positions that other similar economies. I doubt that.
    elijahg
  • Reply 18 of 30
    firelockfirelock Posts: 238member
    There is nothing wrong with employees expressing their opinions to management. I know our team nearly universally desires to continue to WFH. As their manager I know that they are more productive and happier, why is this a bad thing? I think businesses who ignore WFH will find themselves at a competitive disadvantage in the future. You can fight the future, but the future will always win.
    lkruppIreneWelijahgmuthuk_vanalingamchemengin1
  • Reply 19 of 30
    MicDorseyMicDorsey Posts: 100member
    lkrupp said:
    So what?
    That says it all. I was about to write the same thing.
    tommikele
  • Reply 20 of 30
    glennhglennh Posts: 72member
    Not to cause controversy; however, there is another perspective on remote work that seems to not be talk about or measures by the tech companies, the media and others. That perspective is the thoughts of those of us who have to live or room with remote workers.

    I can say from first hand experience that these companies need to get their workers back into the offices and out of their shared home. The normal day to day numerous work meetings, rushed deadlines, conflicts, problem solving and in the case of Apple and probably others tech company “black ops project” requirements are to disruptive for even the most patience of spouses, roommates and homes. Nothing more bothersome for most guy than having some jerk at your spouses work remotely yanked her chain while she is in the home! 

    While I do agree that they are some and their spouses who relish the freedom of remote work, I can guarantee there are far more who just want their home back!

    A home is where most go to escape all things in the outside world especially WORK! 


    tommikelebeowulfschmidt
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