Apple’s Work From Home Creating a Chaotic Situation

The epidemic situation in countries outside China is intensifying, Tim Cook, the CEO of the US technology giant Apple Inc., as early as March 6, informed employees that, in order to cope with the spread of the coronavirus crisis, you can implement home remote Office. After a lapse of one week, Apple found that slow home Internet speeds and security management restrictions are adversely affecting employee productivity.

It is reported that Apple developers complained that the slow download speed affects the work process, and the company’s lack of clarity on the remote office duties and related confidentiality rules has made it increasingly difficult for staff to comply with. According to Apple’s security policy, telecommuters cannot access certain internal systems critical to their work from home.

Therefore, despite the coronavirus outbreak, some Apple engineers still need to be on-site because some Apple policies prohibit unreleased products from being taken out of the company. To protect these employees, the company has set up a security checkpoint for a “daily health check.”

According to reports, Apple is adjusting security guidelines and has “relaxed certain security restrictions” to alleviate problems in the remote office transition, but many policies have not changed. While the company for health reasons to encourage the implementation of telecommuting employees away from the office, but many engineers, said he had to continue on-site office to comply with the “unannounced products prohibited from being out of the company,” this provision.

According to Apple employees, although the company has relaxed some security restrictions, it still retains those restrictions on any software that may leak confidential items.

According to the Wall Street Journal, an Apple employee said in an interview that the company’s move “is to reduce the density of personnel.” This means that in central areas such as Apple Park, reducing the number of on-site personnel in the epidemic, It remains important during the outbreak. In fact, the aforementioned efforts to set up a security checkpoint and call for employees to work from home, as well as the recent closure of all Apple stores outside China, are the result of the company’s active response to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations to combat the spread of coronavirus.

Regarding the chaos in Apple’s transition to telecommuting, the Wall Street Journal said this was not surprising. After all, due to many factors such as confidentiality and demonstration, the company is not completely suitable for the home office. It’s unclear how long Apple and other companies need to work remotely, but in the foreseeable future, such a way of working must be further regulated. However, as Apple introduces new systems and guidelines, the teleworker experience may improve. According to reports, Apple Corps announced on the morning of March 14 that all Apple retail stores outside of China will be closed until March 27.