Several Apple employees have been ordered back to the office after two years of working remotely during the pandemic.
The group, which calls itself Apple Together, published an open letter expressing its dislike for the company's hybrid work plan, which will require staff to come to the office three days a week from May 23.
The Apple Together group is said to be made up of 250 employees (out of roughly 165), with a few thousand more participating in an internal Slack channel dedicated to lobbying for the right to work remotely.
Apple Office Work Mandate
Although Apple has sought to bring employees back to the office since the start of the pandemic, the date has had to be pushed back multiple times due to Covid-related events. Tim Cook detailed the latest version of the plan in March.
"For many of you, I know that returning to the office is a long overdue step and a positive sign that we are able to relate more fully to the colleagues who play such an important role in our lives. For others, it can also be a troubling moment." change,” the Apple CEO said at the time.
“In the coming weeks and months, we will have the opportunity to combine the best we have learned about remote work with the irreplaceable benefits of in-person collaboration. It is more important than ever that we support each other in this transition, through the challenges we face as a team and around the world.
However, this argument has not gone down well with members of Apple Together, who say the decision to bring employees back to the office is driven by paranoia and a desire to exert control over the workforce.
“You characterized the hybrid work pilot decision as combining the “need to communicate in person” with the value of flexible working. But in reality, it doesn't recognize flexible working and is only driven by fear. Fear of the future of work, fear of worker autonomy, fear of losing control,” the group writes.
“Working in the office is a technology from the last century, from the days before the ubiquitous internet capable of making video calls and being all in the same internal chat application. But the future is about connecting when it makes sense, with people who make a relevant contribution, no matter where they are.
The letter goes on to call on Apple's management team to "step aside," quoting Apple founder Steve Jobs, and allow employees to determine what style of work is best for them.
TechRadar Pro has asked Apple for a response to the letter published by the employee group.