Apple CEO Tim Cook tells employees the return to offices will begin on April 11th

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

According to an email from CEO Tim Cook to Apple employees, which was seen by The Verge, Apple employees will be brought back to the office one day a week on April 11th. In November, Apple announced its plans for a hybrid work pilot.

In the third week of the pilot, employees will come in twice a week, with the full hybrid pilot where workers will come into the office on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Cook said the timing may vary from office to office.

He wrote 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. He said that the hybrid plan includes an option to work remotely for up to four weeks a year.

Cook wrote that they are looking forward to learning as they go and adjusting where they need to, all in service of fostering a really collaborative and flexible approach to their work.

Cook said in the email that Apple's retail stores will be mask-optional over the next few weeks.

Apple has changed the return-to-office date several times, most recently in February, when the office return had been scheduled. mask requirements for Apple retail customers have begun to be dropped.

Apple didn't reply to a request for comment on Friday.

Below is the full text of Cook's email.

Team.

I would like to give you an update on our plans to return to our offices.

In many places, officials have begun lifting restrictions in line with public health advice. We are optimistic that this progress will continue into the spring based on the latest data.

We are looking forward to welcoming those of you who have been telecommuting back to our corporate offices. We will begin the phased approach to the hybrid pilot in the United States on April 11, with teams returning to the office one day a week, and then two days a week in the third week. The transitional period will be extended from four to six weeks.

On May 23, we will begin the hybrid pilot, with people coming to the office three days a week, on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and working on Wednesday and Friday if you wish.

We will follow the same process wherever we are not yet back in the office. As it applies to your location, you will hear more details from your local teams.

Many people are already coming in each week because our offices and many other services are open. Between now and April 11, I encourage you to join them, whether it is to grab coffee with a colleague, check out your workspace, or hold a team meeting.

Most of Apple's U.S. sites will be mask-optional over the next few weeks due to the decline in active cases. We are prepared to adjust our protocols if necessary for the health of our teams and communities. I want you to know that you are always welcome to wear a mask and that you should feel comfortable doing so. If you are able to, I want to reiterate the importance of getting the vaccine and a booster. The latest on our protocols can be found on Welcome Forward.

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. It may be an unnerving change for others. I want you to know that we are committed to giving you the support and flexibility that you need in this next phase and that includes the option to work remotely for up to four weeks a year. You can find more information on the People site.

As we begin this pilot, we are looking forward to learning as we go and adjusting where we need to, all in service of fostering a really collaborative and flexible approach to our work together.

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to being with you again. I would like to thank you all. Whether you have been working from home or in our stores, labs, or offices, I am so grateful for all that you bring to Apple.

We have an opportunity to combine the best of what we have learned about working remotely with the benefits of in-person collaboration in the coming weeks and months. We need to support each other through this transition, through the challenges we face as a team, and around the world. I am looking forward to learning and being together during this pilot as we continue to build on the culture that makes Apple such an incredible place.

Schiffer contributed reporting.