Malcolm Owen
Apple is reportedly slowing down the hiring of Geniuses for some Apple Store locations, in what could be considered a cost-saving move.
The Genius is a well-known role in Apple's retail efforts, providing tech support at the store itself. Despite being a big feature of the Apple Store, it seems Apple isn't hiring Geniuses as quickly as it did previously.
Some stores were informed by Apple corporate that Genius positions left vacant after employees leave weren't being filled, an unnamed person familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. In some cases, Apple also withdrew a number of verbal job offers for the position.
So far, some stores have lost five or more tech support roles that aren't actively being filled back up. However, Apple hasn't yet publicly confirmed a hiring freeze nor any layoffs.
Employees told the report they thought it was an attempt to reduce the headcount at stores that were no longer seeing as many customers now as they did pre-pandemic.
Geniuses aren't the only target of slow-hiring practices, as Creative trainers have also seen similar cutbacks.
Apple declined to comment on the claims as yet, though there may be discussion on the matter during the company's post-financial results conference call.
The apparent hiring freeze occurs at a time of unrest for store staff. Amid efforts to unionize over stagnating wages and other matters, Apple has allegedly started to combat the attempts by hiring anti-union lawyers.
Christine McKee
Charles Martin
William Gallagher
Amber Neely
9 Comments
I think the lead may be mischaracterizing this as a "cost-saving move". It's not what would generally be characterized as "cost-saving" if you aren't hiring people you simply don't have a need for at the moment, and the connotation of "cost-saving" is that a company is working through some financial difficulty, which is obviously not the case here.
Staffing in accord with store volume seems eminently logical.
If you don't have a computer science degree or in training for your ticket, you should be prohibited for working in an Apple store. Woke people DO NOT understand that computers work in 0 and 1. They believe Unicorns invented the microprocessor. And if a grocery store has self check-out, why can't Apple? Pick up two products, scan one, leave. Simple. My groceries store took away all self check-outs and replaced them with beautiful women. Furthermore, they should have refurbished bins, go through the bin and get a deal. Grocery stores know retail, and you spend a lot more coin at Grocery stores. Sell water, fruits, and apparel too. Think Differently.