James Martin/CNET
Companies around Silicon Valley are reevaluating their work-from-home techniques in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, informing staff members they can work from another location after the crisis subsides. Apple is apparently taking a various tack, sharing strategies to possibly bring staff members back to its workplaces by the summertime.
The iPhone maker is preparing to open its workplaces in stages, according to a report in Bloomberg, which pointed out individuals acquainted with the strategy. The stage, which “has already begun in some regions globally,” concentrates on personnel who can’t work from another location or have actually dealt with difficulties working far from the workplace. In July, the business prepares to open workplaces more broadly. The strategy undergoes regional stay-at-home orders, Bloomberg’s sources stated.
Apple’s plan to bring employees back to its offices comes as governments continue to grapple with how to return to normal life amid the continued outbreaks of the novel coronavirus, which has so far has killed more than 293,000 patients and infected more than 4.2 million people worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Apple’s move also marks a seeming departure from some other tech firms, such as Facebook and Google, who told employees they can work remotely through the end of the year. Twitter has offered to allow remote work for some employees permanently.
Like most tech giants, Apple’s known for its focus on in-office work. It famously has tight security protecting future products under development, and strictly controls which employees can focus test upcoming releases outside the office. Other companies though appear willing to reconsider that approach.
The pandemic has led companies, including Apple, to change their leave policies to allow more flexible work schedules for parents taking care of kids during school closures and caregivers helping older or sick loved ones.
Apple’s plans to reopen its offices come as the company reopens its retail stores in Alabama, Alaska, Idaho and South Carolina this week. The company’s instituted social distancing measures in the stores, and said it’ll plan more reopenings based on government guidance and local health data. Apple’s been paying retail workers while the stores have been closed.
Not everything at Apple will return to normal this year. The company’s Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, will be held entirely online when it starts on June 22. Previously, Apple’s held its conference in San Jose, California.
