Though we’re sure Apple CEO Tim Cook knew what he was getting into, the challenge of succeeding tech legend Steve Jobs is now becoming crystal clear: Jobs is simply a tough act to follow.
New evidence of this comes Glassdoor’s just-announced list of top CEOs, based on an online survey of thousands of employees' comments gleaned from Glassdoor's employment website. This year, Cook ranked 18th on the list (93% approval rating), compared to the number-one spot he held in 2012 (97% rating). To Cook’s credit, the 97% rating beat out Job’s 2010-2011 rating of 95%.
The number-one CEO in 2013: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg.
The 2013 Glassdoor list is being relased just as Apple is under attack from shareholders, who last month at Apple's annual meeting challenged Cook on the company’s product plans, its decreasing stock price (down 30% in five months) and Cook’s pay package (up 51%).
Cook’s dip on Glassdoor’s list could signify a dissatisfied workforce which, in turn, could cause a dip in employee morale—not a development that Apple needs at a time when it’s being challenged in the marketplace by rivals such as Google and Samsung.
Last month, PR News Group Editor Matthew Schwartz wrote on our blog that Apple needs to ramp up its media relations to combat the recent negative press.
Glassdoor's list may signify the boost internal communications, as well.
Follow Scott Van Camp: @svancamp01