You all probably already know that the employees in Apple stores are not that happy with the working conditions offered by the company. In the past, a lot of information appeared that presented us with a gloomy picture of how the employees of one of the most important companies on the globe must carry out their work. A new article written by In These Times brings to the fore the grievances of the company's employees, grievances that are beginning to accumulate and will probably lead to the organization of a union that will cause big problems for the company.
In that article it is specified that the employees are demoralized, they are dissatisfied with the hours they have to work, but they are also dissatisfied that Apple does not offer them effective health insurance plans or that they are not paid correctly for seniority and hours worked. It seems that Apple puts more value on new employees, so people who are newly hired in the stores have higher salaries than those who have been a year old, for example. Apple lists its employees as working part-time to reduce the cost of health insurance plans, which of course do not cover the same aspects as plans for full-time employees. Finally, a very important aspect is highlighted: in order to reduce costs, Apple hires fewer employees than is needed in its stores, so that the active employees have to bear a workload of 2 times more in certain cases.
In conclusion, working at Apple is an experience in itself that must be seen as such and should have nothing to do with the money you receive, at least that's what the management philosophy says.
- Veteran Apple Store workers asking about pay disparities (namely, that new hires were being paid more than many employees who had been at the Apple Store for a year or more) are told that "money shouldn't be an issue when you're employed at Apple.” Rather, the chance to work at Apple "should be looked at as an experience" worth more than competitive pay alone.
- The Apple Store keeps its retail employee healthcare costs low by defining all employees as part time unless they can literally guarantee that they will be available to work anytime the store is open. This is true even if you work 40 hours a week.
- Apple understaffs its retail stores to keep costs down, adding undue amounts of stress for employees and customers alike. A Maryland employee interviewed said that Apple's understaffing could make the workload "overwhelming" and "a lot more difficult to be effective." A New York Apple Store employee confirms, comparing the disparity between the lengths Apple goes to to satisfy customers and the length it will go to appease employees as "demoralizing."
- Apple management won't take suggestions on how to make their retail stores work more efficiently because of their "very top-down corporate culture."
- Recent changes in Apple Store scheduling policies have led to a "very big overhaul" of workers' schedules and responsibilities, which means that the average Apple Store employee has less time to do repairs, less consistent schedules and a lot more employee burnout as they spend more time on the floor and work more early morning shifts immediately following night shifts. The new system is described as "emotionally and physically draining."
