Apple to streamline corporate retail teams by cutting select positions, says Bloomberg News

Highlights

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• Apple will eliminate some roles in its corporate retail teams handling construction and maintenance of its retail stores and facilities worldwide.
• The move is part of a streamlining effort to improve the upkeep of its stores globally.
• Apple will support the affected employees and provide them with the opportunity to reapply for similar roles or receive up to four months of pay.
• This is the first known internal job cuts by Apple since it started a cost-cutting initiative last year amid the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Apple has largely avoided corporate layoffs, unlike many of its tech industry peers such as Amazon, Google and Meta Platforms.
• However, it has reduced its contractor workforce including engineers, recruiters, and security guards.

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Apple, the world's most valuable company, has announced that it will eliminate a small number of roles within its corporate retail teams, according to Bloomberg News. The affected employees are part of the development and preservation teams, which handle the construction and maintenance of Apple retail stores and other facilities around the world.

The company said that the move is part of a streamlining effort to improve the upkeep of its stores globally, and that it will provide support to the impacted workers. Apple also said that the employees will have the opportunity to reapply for similar roles within the company, or receive up to four months of pay if they don't take a new position.

This is the first known internal job cuts by Apple since it started a cost-cutting initiative last year amid the economic slowdown and reduced consumer spending caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple has largely avoided corporate layoffs, unlike many of its peers in the tech industry, such as Amazon, Google and Meta Platforms. However, it has reduced its contractor workforce, including engineers, recruiters and security guards.

Apple had 164,000 employees as of September 2022, when its last fiscal year ended. The company did not expand its workforce as quickly as some other big tech companies during the pandemic, which may have reduced the need for major layoffs. Apple also reported record revenue and profit for its fiscal first quarter of 2023, driven by strong demand for its products and services.

The job cuts come as Apple faces several challenges in its retail operations, such as supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, store closures and health restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic. The company also faces regulatory scrutiny and legal battles in several markets over its App Store policies and practices.

Apple's retail stores are widely regarded as one of its key competitive advantages, as they showcase its products and services, provide customer service and support, and foster brand loyalty and community among its users. The company operates more than 500 stores in 25 countries, and plans to open new ones in India, Brazil and Thailand this year.