Apple employees push back on returning to work, demand location flexibility

Companies like Apple have been facing difficulties in getting employees to return to in-person office work following remote work opportunities offered at the beginning of the pandemic. Apple CEO Tim Cook has even set a September 5 deadline in efforts to get employees back in the office “at least three days a week.” However, this deadline has done nothing to persuade employees to give up remote work.

Instead, employees continue to stand firm, with a group of workers known as “Apple Together” going so far as to create a petition demanding “location flexible work” in efforts to keep remote work opportunities in place. According to the petition, employees have been able to do “exceptional work” over the last 2 years regardless of whether they’re working from home, or the office.

For the past 2+ years, Apple’s formerly office-based employees have performed exceptional work, flexibly, both outside and inside traditional office environments. However, Apple leadership recently announced they require a general return to office starting the week of Sept 5 (Labor Day). This uniform mandate from senior leadership does not consider the unique demands of each job role nor the diversity of individuals.

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 one thing we all have in common is wanting to do the best work of our lives for a company whose official stance is to do what’s right rather than what’s easy.

The petition goes on to list demands including Apple allowing employees to work with managers to figure out flexible work arrangements, and that these work arrangements aren’t subject to higher level approvals, complex procedures, and the need to provide private information. As of right now, the petition has 713 signatures with the petition goal sitting at 1,000 signatures.

It seems fair that employees should have the right to each discuss their individual needs with their managers in regards to their work situation, especially if there are health concerns involved. Also, given that things at Apple haven’t fallen apart since the start of the pandemic and the subsequent shift towards remote work, the employees have a point in noting how they’ve been able to deliver the same, or in some cases, better work from home.

With the pushback from Apple employees continuing in spite of company efforts to strong arm them into coming back, it’ll be interesting to see which side will win this metaphorical tug-of-war. For more on what else Apple has been up to, be sure to read up on how Apple CEO Tim Cook expects revenue to accelerate despite economic weakness, and how Apple’s Q3 2022 earnings results beat EPS and revenue expectations.