Ford Motor Company has made it mandatory for most of its global salaried employees to return to the office four days a week, starting 1 September. The objective is to accelerate the company’s transformation and improve both employee and organisational performance.
Currently, the company follows a hybrid approach, where many employees have been coming in thrice a week.
With this shift, Ford joins the growing list of global firms who are reverting to their pre-pandemic model of work with focus on productivity and in-person collaboration.
The precise number of employees impacted is not known but a good portion of its global workforce is expected to be impacted. Employees have been informed of the decision and the same will be implemented in the fall, so that people have enough time to prepare for the change.
Ford has been trying to realigning internal policies to increase accountability and agility. Earlier this year, Ford had cut stock-based bonuses for many middle managers, indicating an inclination toward performance-driven incentives. GM has also overhauled its performance review systems, increasing pressure on underperformers to either improve or exit.
Ford’s new office mandate is part of an endeavour to rehaul the company culture and push for transformation, to be able to stay competitive and face big EV brands such as Tesla.
