Apple wants to avoid leaks at all costs. This has a massive impact on employees, as a former HR manager has now revealed. The secrecy would lead to arguments and burnouts internally. Even possible prison sentences should go through employees’ heads.
Apple: Secrecy leads to stress among employees
Apple is known for wanting to avoid at all costs that information about upcoming products is released to the public in advance. The fight against leaks is particularly felt by the employees who work in product development. Now has teamed up with Chris Deaver former human resources manager of the group expressed on the subject.
According to Deaver, Apple’s secrecy noticeable effects on the well-being of employees. Stress and internal disputes should only be the beginning. Since employees basically don’t even know who they are actually allowed to talk to about products, self-doubt arises. He quotes a colleague as saying “I don’t want to end up being fired or in prison”.
Groups would work on innovations strictly separately from each other and only come together at a late stage. That in turn would a lot of stress, unnecessary friction and lengthy meetings to lead. As a human resources manager, he was often consulted because teams did not want to share their ideas with others.
Through the secrecy would even high-ranking employees Only when they are presented to the public can they see which ideas ultimately prevailed (source: Fast Company).
Most recently, Apple introduced the Mac Studio and Studio Display:
Apple: More openness with newer products
Deaver says that Apple has now loosened its massive internal secrecy. Today it would better exchange between the individual team leaders give. When developing the AirPods Pro, Apple allowed more openness for the first time, as it did with the Apple Watch and newer iPhones.