Apple Grants New Round of $200K Stock Bonuses to Keep Engineers, Report Says
Apple engineers are expected to return to the office several days per week in April.
- I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Apple is reportedly paying more to employees amid a return-to-office request.
Apple has again paid some of its engineers stock bonuses, this time with values of between $100,000 and $200,000, according to a report Friday.
It's part of an effort to retain software and hardware engineers, with the shares vesting over several years, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources. Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. It declined to comment to Bloomberg.
The news follows Apple reportedly issuing surprise stock bonuses to its "high performers" in December, across divisions including silicon design, virtual reality headsets, hardware and some software and operations groups. Those reported bonuses ranged from $50,000 to $180,000 in value.
Read also: Best iPhone for 2022: Which of Apple's 8 Phones is Right for You?
Competition between tech giants to attract and retain talent is fierce in Silicon Valley, and the move also comes as Apple has set its return-to-office expectations, announced earlier this month after roughly two years of remote work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the company's annual shareholder meeting, Apple CEO Tim Cook said corporate employees will return to in-person work starting in April. Employees will be required to work from the office at least one day a week starting April 11 and at least three days a week by May 23.
"For many of you, I know that returning to the office represents a long-awaited milestone and a positive sign that we can engage more fully with the colleagues who play such an important role in our lives," Cook reportedly said in a memo sent in early March. "For others, it may also be an unsettling change."