Frustrated Apple employees reject CEO Tim Cook’s hybrid plan by threatening to quit

That’s what Apple is demanding right now in its return to the office.

That’s way too much for some employees.

“I don’t give a single f–k about ever coming back to work here,” a self-described Apple employee posted on a message board called Blind. Once April 11 comes around and brings this new rule into effect, they added, they will be resigning from their job.

This worker was not alone, the New York Post was first to report on the message board, citing anonymous messages from other employees.

‘I already know I won’t be able to deal with the commute’

Apple’s plan is to introduce a hybrid schedule, adding days in office after April 11, enforcing two in-office days weekly by May 2, and three days by May 23. What their piecemeal plan didn’t account for was the employees removing themselves from the equation entirely.

A worker reacted to messages about resigning with a laughing emoji and said, “I’m gonna do the same.” Another employee rallied, “Hell YEAH my man let’s do this! F–k RTO.”

One of the employees said they would send in their resignation as soon as they came home. They cited the transit as part of their reason for leaving: “I already know I won’t be able to deal with the commute and sitting around for 8 hours.”

When discussing this return-to-the-office process, Apple CEO Tim Cook mostly addressed those who were excitedly awaiting the end of remote work. “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. For others, it may also be an unsettling change,” said Cook.

‘Totally bummed and looking into full remote jobs now’

To say that these irate workers are unsettled by this change might be an understatement.

While President Biden has started urging workers to return to their offices, employees are less readily accepting the new normal that their companies are pushing. Pew’s recent research reveals that a majority of workers prefer hybrid or fully remote schedules.

“Sixty percent of workers with jobs that can be done from home say when the coronavirus outbreak is over, if they have the choice, they’d like to work from home all or most of the time. This is up from 54% who said the same in 2020,” according to the Pew report. Now that some employees don’t have the choice, it remains to be seen whether many will act on their promise of quitting.

A Gallup poll from October 2021 shows that workers prefer hybrid work (at 54%). The second most popular choice was completely working from home (37%). And preferences for working full-time in person came in dead last at 9%.

While Apple’s new schedule is hybrid, employees say they’re not sticking around to wait until a full return to the office occurs. The New York Post claims that multiple employees are looking to apply to other tech companies that offer more flexible work options.

“Totally bummed and looking into full remote jobs now,” an Apple employee said.

Fortune.com