Big Tech

Here’s how Apple has avoided the mass layoffs gripping the tech sector

Mac and iPhone maker held off from the wave of hiring across the sector during the pandemic

Apple chief executive Tim Cook: the company has avoided mass layoffs so far. Photograph: Richard Drew/AP

Saksha Menezes
Fri Feb 10 2023 - 09:48

There’s a reason why Apple is under less pressure than tech peers to slash jobs during the current slowdown: It hired more efficiently in the first place.

During the industry’s pandemic-fuelled hiring binge, Apple added fewer employees than other big tech firms. On top of that, the company generated far more revenue per new hire than its peers, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

That more cautious approach is paying off now. Though Apple has frozen hiring in some areas and is keeping a lid on spending – especially outside research and development – it hasn’t yet resorted to the mass lay-offs under way at Amazon, Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms and other tech giants.

The company announced plans to shore up its human resources this week by hiring its first chief people officer. HR duties had been overseen by retail chief Deirdre O’Brien in a dual role.

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Many tech companies admit that they hired too much during the pandemic, betting that lifestyle changes – including remote work, ecommerce spending and video-game habits – would bring a bigger windfall. Now they’re dealing with the aftermath. Zoom, one of the biggest beneficiaries of Covid-19 lockdowns, just announced this week that it was cutting 15 per cent of its jobs.

Apple, meanwhile, was more cautious. Its headcount increased just 20 per cent from 2020 to 2022, compared with a 60 per cent gain at Alphabet and a near-doubling at Amazon. Those two companies went on to announce playoffs of roughly 30,000 combined.

Apple also generated much more revenue per additional employee during the pandemic years than it did in the previous three-year stretch. That’s a sharp contrast with most of its technology peers.

However, headcount can’t fully explain Apple’s edge over competitors. The company also generates some of the highest sales per square foot – an indication that its efficiency goes beyond hiring policies.

“Apple is frugal by nature, said Credit Suisse analyst Shannon Cross. “It comes down to the management’s stewardship of shareholder dollars and a tight focus on what growth opportunities to invest in. – Bloomberg

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