Main image of article Are Apple Employees Happy About Their Hybrid Work Plan?

Three-quarters of Apple employees are unhappy with their company’s hybrid-work plans, according to a new study by Blind.

Blind, which surveys anonymous technologists on a range of issues, found that 76 percent of (site-verified) Apple employees were dissatisfied with Apple’s flexible work and return-to-office strategy. In an even more worrisome twist, some 56 percent said they were considering whether to pursue a new job because of the hybrid work policy consisting of office work and virtual work. 

“Apple is going to see attrition like no other come June,” a verified Apple employee mentioned on a Blind discussion forum. “[Sixty percent] of my team doesn’t even live near the office. They are not returning.” (June is the first full month that Apple employees are expected back in the office three days per week.)

For its part, Apple seems to recognize that its employees may need some time to adjust to the new schedule.  “For many of you, I know that returning to the office represents a long-awaited milestone and a positive sign that we can engage more fully with the colleagues who play such an important role in our lives,” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a recent email, according to The Verge. “For others, it may also be an unsettling change. I want you to know that we are deeply committed to giving you the support and flexibility that you need in this next phase.” 

By the end of April, Apple employees were expected back in the office two days per week, but three days per week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) is coming. Like executives at other companies, Cook feels that in-office collaboration is vital to team success—but many technologists, after two years of pandemic, feel they’re very capable of doing their jobs from home full-time, thank you very much. 

Apple isn’t the only company reportedly wrestling with employee job dissatisfaction over hybrid schedules. Over at Google, employees are likewise upset at what they perceive as a lack of flexibility over which days they must come in. Going forward, managers and executives will need to communicate with their teams about what’s expected—and perhaps show a little flexibility when it comes to technologists’ schedules.