Apple has delayed the return of office as US COVID-19 cases increase

Apple bosses had put pressure on employees to return to office in September, but perhaps they changed their tune due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. According to Bloomberg, the technology giant is delaying its return date to the office by about a month and does not expect employees to start working outside its facilities until October as soon as possible. It is said to be a response to the recent growth of coronavirus cases due to the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant in the United States and around the world.

The original technology giant wanted to implement a hybrid agreement in the workplace starting in September, where most employees will be expected to show up at the office for three days a week at a minimum. “Videoconferencing has reduced the distance between us, to be sure, but there are things we simply can’t replicate,” Tim Cook wrote in an internal email.

As well as The Virgin reports, staff members tried to push back and sent the company a letter asking them to rethink their “flexible work policy in place” and to embrace distance work for the purpose of inclusion and of diversity. However, Apple executives then insisted that “in-person collaboration is essential for [the company’s] culture and … future ”.

Bloomberg note that Apple is one of the first technology giants in the United States to delay its return to office. Google has announced it will adopt a hybrid work week in May, but predicts that 20 percent of its workforce will continue to work from home full-time. As for Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said earlier that he expects 50% of his employees to work from home in the next five to ten years. While Apple doesn’t have new data for its hybrid implementation at work, Bloomberg’s sources said the company will give employees a month’s notice before they are scheduled to return to work in the office.