Apple Inc employees are most likely to continue work from home until June next year. According to Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Apple Inc said "seems likely" the majority of the team won't be back before June 2021. Cook shared the details about the company's plan in a virtual town hall meeting with employees on Thursday, as per a report in Bloomberg.
The Cupertino-based company has historically had an office-centric culture and Cook has also expressed his desire for staff to ultimately return to the office in several public speaking forums. However, Cook implied that the company's success amid the pandemic and the lockdown could enable more flexibility to work remotely in the future.
"There is no replacement for face-to-face collaboration, but we have also learned a great deal about how we can get our work done outside of the office without sacrificing productivity or results...All of these learnings are important. When we're on the other side of this pandemic, we will preserve everything that is great about Apple while incorporating the best of our transformations this year," Cook told his staff in the virtual meeting.
With this, Apple has joined Google, Amazon, and Facebook who have allowed their employees to work remotely until the summer of 2021.
Amazon.com Inc told employees whose work can be done from home that they can do so until June, extending the timeline on a return to the office due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier it allowed that option until January. Search engine giant Google has also extended work from home (WFH) facility for its employees globally, including in India, till June 30 next year.
Facebook Inc allowed to work remotely until July 2021. However, Twitter Inc had proposed remote work indefinitely for some of its employees.
Further, Cook informed that Apple's employee donation programme is having its strongest year ever, adding that more than $591 million has been donated to charities. Apple is making a $5 million donation to organisations helping those hurt by COVID-19, Cook said.
Cook added that Apple will be giving employees in many regions an additional paid holiday scheduled for January 4. Recently, Alphabet Inc's Google also gave staff an extra paid day off.Also read: Sanofi, GSK COVID-19 vaccine rollout delayed on low immune response in older adultsAlso read: 'Structure your thoughts': Oyo's Ritesh Agarwal tells budding entrepreneurs