Apple has been planning a gradual return to work since last month, as the company shut down its corporate operations temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, according to a new Bloomberg report, staff members are now gradually returning to their offices with the company taking measures to prevent the virus from spreading.
Bloomberg says Apple is bringing some of the workers back to Apple Park in Cupertino, focusing mainly on hardware and software engineers who need to work on campus to finish priority projects. The company is offering nasal-swab tests to check if these people are infected with COVID-19, as well as constant temperature checks and other security measures.
Apple is also asking workers to keep a distance from each other, with restrictions on the number of people who can use elevators at the same time. Break-rooms and kitchens have been closed, and employees must wear masks everywhere.
The Apple campus in Cupertino, California, has several open floor work areas where staff members are used to working in close proximity, but the company will need to make changes to that layout in order to bring back the rest of its workforce. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
Some Apple executives are also returning to the office, such as Apple’s head of retail and human resources, Deirdre O’Brien. Of course, these plans could change if the pandemic worsens again.
With WWDC 2020 coming up on June 22nd, employees are likely to be committed to working on related projects.
Apple has also slowly started reopening its retail stores around the world. You can keep up with the latest Apple Store reopenings in our detailed roundup right here.
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