Some Apple Employees Say Company's Culture of Secrecy Makes Working From Home Challenging

The process of tech companies sending thousands of employees home amid the coronavirus crisis has been messy, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The shift has been tough on Apple especially, due to strict guidelines and secrecy around its products.

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The report mentions that software developers who were sent home have been complaining of both slow download speeds and confusion about what work they are allowed to perform. Other employees have been unable to access key internal systems from home due to Apple's stringent security policies.

Many engineers have continued to work at Apple's headquarters to adhere to Apple's policy of forbidding any unreleased products to leave the campus. Some staff say that Apple has loosened restrictions, however. One Apple employee mentioned "it's all about lowering the density," thus highlighting the importance of social distancing amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Apple has taken several measures in response to the coronavirus. Just this week, it was announced that Apple would be temporarily closing all Apple Stores outside of Chinacommitting $15 million to date for COVID-19 relief efforts, and encouraging corporate employees to work remotely if their job allows. It was also announced that WWDC this year will be an online event and Apple Card customers are able to enroll in a program that will allow them to skip March payment without interest.

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Top Rated Comments

mw360 Avatar
61 months ago
The report mentions that software developers who were sent home have been complaining of both slow download speeds and confusion about what work they are allowed to perform. Other employees have been unable to access key internal systems from home...
Welcome to 'working from home'. If it was that easy to do your job from home, some guy in India would be doing it.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
61 months ago
So an employee works from home and decides to call up the WSJ to give them a story?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
61 months ago
From a software development side, this could be used as an opportunity to really make new versions of iOS and macOS much better. Would it be the end of the world even if Apple delayed new iPhones and iPads for a year? Sure, revenue would take a hit, but, the company is starving for cash.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tmg2010 Avatar
61 months ago
It might not be a bad thing for Apple to become aware of the limited internet resources experienced by some of their customers.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nitramluap Avatar
61 months ago
Then don't work. Take a break. Their job is not *that* important in the grand scheme of things.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
61 months ago
In other news, a potato left in a sunny window sill will begin to sprout.

the issues at Apple are not that uncommon for any company that has strict R&D policies. There are limits To what corporate IT policies, and a VPN can do to secure remote data.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)