Apple is issuing workers at its new headquarters (the one shaped like a doughnut) with standing desks. This is not to prevent them from falling asleep – it’s actually regarded as a major perk for employees at the firm’s new $5bn office, which also comes with private in-house healthcare.
The Cupertino-based company has always been deliberately vague about the daily comings and goings at its HQ. But on Wednesday CEO Tim Cook revealed this interesting bit of information while he was having a discussion with Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein during a Bloomberg interview.
Cook proudly declared: “We have given all of our employees, 100%, standing desks. If you can stand for a while, then sit, and so on and so forth, it’s much better for your lifestyle.”
Cook is clearly quite aware of the risks to employees’ health posed by long periods of sitting down at a desk. A while ago, he quoted medical professionals who called this the “new cancer”. This is probably why the Apple Watch prompts users to get up from time to time.
The new desks are only one example of the numerous benefits enjoyed by those who work from Apple Park, the computer firm’s recently opened headquarters in Cupertino.
Another example is the fact that the Cupertino HQ is crammed with tree-themed decorations. It’s virtually impossible to turn your head without seeing a fruit tree. Of course, it also boasts quite a few of the usual trappings that one finds in a Silicon Valley office, including a shuttle bus service and a large gymnasium.
When it comes to office fittings, the company hasn’t been stingy either. Workers are issued with desk chairs from Vitra that reportedly sell for around $1,200. Some sources even say that Jony Ive hand-picked these chairs personally. Reportedly, the shared areas and cafeteria boast $2,500 Naoto Fukasawa chairs.