Apple is traditionally very calculated in making changes, whether those be to its products or within its business model. So it came as a surprise when reports of the company laying off employees emerged in recent weeks. This was later proven to be false.
The company made changes in its scheduling system and many employees' hours were cut. The majority of those affected were part-time employees. It is believed that because the hours were cut down so drastically that some thought layoffs would occur. Layoffs tend to occur when companies are losing business, but Apple continues to grow, so the new system came as a surprise to employees and patrons alike.
Apple implemented this new system in all 372 of their stores, the majority of which are located in the United States. The new system resulted in many stores being understaffed and many employees saw their schedules reduced to as little as one half-shift a week. Once the error was recognized, Apple reverted to the previous system.
John Browett, senior vice president of sales, took the position in April of this year. Since that time he has overseen the new staffing formula, and was quick to acknowledge the problem once it became apparent. He instructed team leaders across the retail network to apologize to their employees for the mistake by explaining, "We messed up." Browett had gained popularity among Apple employees for increasing pay following reviews earlier this summer.