Tag: Employees

Dell cracks down on hybrid working again — computing giant is going to start color-coding employees to show who is coming back to the office

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Dell has issued a nineteen eighty-four-esque warning to its hybrid working employees, who shall from now on be tracked using electronic badge swipes, VPN usage and a color-coding system, in order for the company to keep tabs on office usage.

A source familiar with the matter told The Register the new initiative, spearheaded by COO Jeff Clarke, is designed to monitor the on-site presence of the company’s hybrid workers.

The system will be used to grade employees based on their presence in the office for at least 39 days per quarter, which equates to around three days per week.

Dell vs hybrid working

Starting May 13, Dell intends to provide employees with weekly updates on their onside presence through its HR software, with reports accompanied by a color-coded rating. The ratings will include green, yellow and red flags for ‘regular,’ ‘some’ and ‘limited’ on-site presence, with a special blue flag awarded to those with ‘consistent’ on-site presence.

A Dell spokesperson commented (via The Register): “In today’s global technology revolution, we believe in-person connections paired with a flexible approach are critical to drive innovation and value differentiation.”

However, workers have expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s increasingly strict measures. The news comes just weeks after the company announced it would be penalizing workers for working from home too much, with promotions being threatened.

Other workers have linked the increased surveillance with continued headcount reduction and cost optimization efforts. Dell laid off around 6,000 workers in March 2024, and a further 6,650 in February 2023. Both times, the company saw a 5% reduction in its workforce.

Apple Store Employees in New Jersey File to Unionize

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 10, 2024
No Comments on Apple Store Employees in New Jersey File to Unionize

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Apple employees at the Apple Store in Short Hills, New Jersey have petitioned to unionize, reports Bloomberg. Retail store unionization efforts have died down in recent months after locations in Oklahoma and Maryland successfully unionized in 2022.

apple short hills new jersey
There are 104 workers at Apple Short Hills, which is located in the Short Hills Mall. Communication Workers of America (CWA) filed a unionization petition with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of employees earlier this week.

In a statement, the CWA said that forming a union would be the best way to “ensure all Apple workers receive the respect, pay, benefits and working conditions” that they deserve. The group has requested that Apple “not to interfere in our ongoing organizing efforts and, instead, allow workers to freely determine for themselves whether to form a union.”

Apple told Bloomberg that it offers “exceptional” benefits and competitive pay to its employees.

We have always paid our retail teams in the top tier of the market. And we provide exceptional and comprehensive benefits for all full- and part-time employees as a part of the overall support we provide to our valued team members.

Following the petition, workers at the store will need to vote on whether to join the union. If a majority decide to do so, the store will unionize. Union employees are able to negotiate with Apple for improved working conditions and benefits. In Maryland, workers have been working to negotiate with Apple for a 10 percent pay increase, tips from customers, and changes to overtime and leave policies.

While two stores have unionized, unionization efforts have failed in other locations. An Apple retail location in St. Louis voted not to unionize, and a store in Atlanta withdrew its request to unionize after alleged interference from Apple. The U.S. National Labor Relations Board said in December 2022 that Apple had violated federal law by holding mandatory anti-union meetings and coercing and interrogating the Atlanta workers.

GAME store employees have been told to expect layoffs as they receive new zero-hours contracts

Post author By lisa nichols
Post date April 9, 2024
No Comments on GAME store employees have been told to expect layoffs as they receive new zero-hours contracts

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Staff at UK video game retailer GAME have reportedly been told to expect layoffs as they’ve been moved to zero-hours contracts.

According to a recent report from Eurogamer, the high street chain owned by Fraser Group will now employ most non-managerial staff with zero-hours contracts from now on, while newer junior staff members, who are also on zero-hours contracts, are being referred to as “cast members.”

Multiple staff members, who remained anonymous, confirmed the changes to the publication and said that the move to make zero-hours contacts standard across the business was not unexpected.

In addition, staff have been told to expect layoffs and that employees will either be contacted by email or telephone, informing them of any job cuts.

At this time, GAME hasn’t released a statement and it’s currently unclear how many jobs will be cut.

In February, GAME halted all trade-ins in its stores to phase out its pre-owned stock.
Standalone GAME stores will continue to sell pre-owned stock until everything is gone, while concession stores – like those that exist within Sports Direct stores – were stopped entirely.

Concession stores were set to complete store-to-store transfers of their pre-owned software, while hardware will be sent back to the distribution center to be redistributed.

The new policy comes after a transition phase that saw the retailer move from standalone stores to smaller concession stores in Sports Direct and House of Fraser.

This most recent report is another in an ongoing wave of job cuts across the games industry, all of which have amounted to over 16,000 in the past 18 months according to PC Gamer.

These job cuts aren’t contained to one small sector of the industry and have affected major game development studios, such as Naughty Dog, PlayStation, and Supermassive Games, as well as other companies like Humble Games and Amazon Games.

Apple lays off 600+ employees after canceling Apple Car project

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 5, 2024
No Comments on Apple lays off 600+ employees after canceling Apple Car project

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Some Apple employees who worked on Apple Car and micro LED projects are being laid off.
Photo: Laurenz Heymann/Unsplash

Following the shutdown of the Apple Car project, the Cupertino giant is laying off more than 600 employees. Many affected employees worked on developing micro LED displays for the Apple Watch and future Apple products.

The laid-off employees worked in and around Santa Clara, near Apple’s California headquarters.

Layoffs affect Apple Car and micro LED project teams

To comply with the California Employment Development Department’s regulations, Apple filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) report informing about the layoffs.

Based on Apple’s submissions, 87 people worked at its secret facility, purportedly working on the micro-LED display technology. 371 employees worked at an Apple Car-related office in Santa Clara, California. Bloomberg‘s report claims Apple laid off dozens more employees in various satellite offices working on the two projects.

These layoffs are not new, as the company has already let go of the employees. It is just that this is the first time an approximate number is known. Plus, Gurman notes that the number of employees laid off should be much higher, as Apple had many people working on the Car project in Arizona. Similarly, the company had many display engineers working on micro LED technology at its offices in Asia.

Apple recently shut down two major projects

Reports of Apple Car crashing to a halt emerged in late February 2024. While Apple sank billions of dollars into the project, it went nowhere despite nearly 2,000 people working on it.

Apple moved many employees working on the Apple Car to its artificial intelligence division, led by John Giannandrea. They will focus on the company’s various generative AI projects, an area where Apple is significantly trailing its rivals.

Similarly, Apple has abandoned its plans to transition to micro LED screens on its future products. This is after the company realized its production costs were too high to make economic sense. With the project canceled, the company is letting go of many people working on it.

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Tags Apple, Canceling, Car, Employees, lays, Project

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Apple Lays Off 600+ Employees After Canceling Car Project

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date April 5, 2024
No Comments on Apple Lays Off 600+ Employees After Canceling Car Project

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Apple this week filed a required notice with the state of California, confirming plans to permanently lay off more than 600 employees. Under California law, employers must give employees and state representatives a 60-day notice before a mass layoff event.

The employees listed are located in several Apple-occupied buildings around Santa Clara, California, which is close to Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. Several of these locations were rumored to be associated with Apple Car development in the past, so it is likely that these layoffs are related to Apple’s decision to stop work on the car project.

Apple officially ended development on the Apple Car in March. Approximately 2,000 employees working on the Apple Car were told that the project was winding down at that time, and Apple began the process of moving some of them to work on artificial intelligence under John Giannandrea and in other relevant departments.

Other employees were given 90 days to apply for open positions within the company, but Apple hired hardware engineers and car designers while working on the Apple Car, and these employees may not have had skills applicable to other projects.

Apple also recently ended development on in-house microLED displays, so some of the layoffs might also be related to the decision to discontinue that work.

Apple Steeply Discounts Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop for Employees

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date March 30, 2024
No Comments on Apple Steeply Discounts Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop for Employees

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Apple is currently offering its corporate and retail employees 40% off select Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop bands for the Apple Watch.

8 Old Link Bracelets
In the U.S., the Link Bracelet is available for $209 on Apple’s online store for employees, down from $349 regularly. The Milanese Loop is available for $59, down from $99. Both bands were introduced alongside the original Apple Watch in 2015.

Apple is also offering employees 50% off various Black Unity and Pride Edition bands, as well as the Sport Band in the Midnight color only.

Apple offers employees special discounts on a rotating selection of products, so it is unclear whether this is another routine sale, or if the company plans to discontinue the Link Bracelet and Milanese Loop in the future and is clearing inventory.

It has been rumored that at least one next-generation Apple Watch model will not be compatible with existing Apple Watch bands. The new Apple Watch lineup is expected to be announced in September alongside the iPhone 16 series.

How to Turn Custom GPTs Into Virtual Employees

Post author By miranda cosgrove
Post date February 5, 2024
No Comments on How to Turn Custom GPTs Into Virtual Employees

Custom GPTs

This guide is designed to show you how to turn ChatGPTs Custom GPTs into virtual employees. In the contemporary era of digital evolution, the introduction and development of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs) represent a monumental shift in how we approach productivity and creative innovation. With the landscape of technology constantly evolving, the enhancement of ChatGPT through the integration of the “@” feature stands as a pivotal advancement. This feature ushers in a new era of interaction with AI, akin to the ease with which one might tag a colleague on platforms like Slack to solicit their feedback or input. Now, this same level of immediate, intuitive engagement extends to artificial intelligence, effectively turning these sophisticated algorithms into virtual team members ready to contribute on demand.

This article aims to explore the groundbreaking implications of employing custom GPTs within our professional ecosystems. By treating these AI models as virtual employees, we unlock a myriad of possibilities for enhancing efficiency and fostering a culture of innovation. The integration of such technology into daily workflows is not merely a step forward; it’s a leap into the future of work where AI becomes an indispensable ally. From automating routine tasks to generating creative solutions to complex problems, custom GPTs hold the potential to revolutionize our work processes. We will delve into practical strategies for leveraging AI to its fullest potential, shedding light on the transformative impact of custom GPTs on the modern workplace.

Custom GPTs: Your Digital Workforce

Custom GPTs stand out as virtual counterparts to human employees, designed to undertake specific tasks with precision. By customizing these AI models with distinct instructions, knowledge bases, and actions, you can create a specialized assistant tailored to your needs. Whether it’s drafting emails, summarizing articles, or managing projects, these digital employees streamline task execution with remarkable efficiency.

Efficiency and Customization at Your Fingertips: The ability to customize GPTs according to specific job descriptions transforms the way tasks are approached. A single prompt could merge an email’s content with your ideas, crafting a response that encapsulates professionalism and personal touch.
Leverage Custom Instructions for Precision: The evolution from generic to custom instructions means you no longer need to repeatedly tailor prompts. This customization extends to creating GPTs with unique sets of skills and knowledge, enhancing their effectiveness and specialization.
Integration With Tools You Love: Custom GPTs can communicate with external databases and services like Zapier, broadening their utility. From posting on social media to automating tasks in platforms like ClickUp, the possibilities are endless, ensuring that your virtual employee can handle a diverse range of tasks.

Practical Applications That Inspire

The practicality of custom GPTs is boundless, with applications ranging from routine task management to creative problem-solving. By integrating these AI models with platforms like ClickUp, you can automate task creation and streamline project management, thereby boosting productivity and efficiency.

Embrace Experimentation: Setting up and optimizing custom GPTs is an exploratory journey. As you fine-tune your virtual employee, you unlock new potentials and efficiencies, tailored to your unique workflow and needs.
Join the Community: Engaging with a community of like-minded individuals can enrich your understanding and utilization of custom GPTs. Sharing experiences and insights fosters a collaborative environment where innovation thrives.

Navigating the Future with Custom GPTs

The integration of custom GPTs into your workflow represents a strategic investment in efficiency and innovation. By understanding and leveraging these AI models, you position yourself at the forefront of digital transformation. Remember, the journey to optimizing custom GPTs is continuous, offering a rewarding path of discovery and growth. As you embark on this journey, remember that the goal is not just to automate tasks but to enhance decision-making, creativity, and productivity. The era of virtual employees is here, and with custom GPTs, you have the power to reshape your professional landscape.

Source Riley Brown

Filed Under: Guides

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Tags custom, Employees, GPTs, turn, Virtual

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