Ford Motor Co. announced to its global salaried workforce that instead of starting the hybrid work arrangement in October, they would return to the office in January 2022. Meanwhile, the automaker’s employees will continue to work remotely.
Due to recent COVID variants, companies continue to delay the date to return to the office. Many of them are preparing the workplace with the necessary safety precautions. Ford, for example, said they are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. They will continue exploring new solutions to make their hybrid work arrangement successful.
Ford’s Remote Work Plans
In March, Ford had announced its hybrid work structure that blends both remote and onsite work. The primary purpose is to give employees the freedom to choose how, when, and where tasks get done. Onsite work is mainly encouraged to strengthen the team’s collaboration.
The company told its employees yesterday that for the moment, they will introduce a short-term remote work option with home office safety covered. This new remote work arrangement allows employees to work from anywhere they want for up to 30 days a year.
Kiersten Robinson, Ford Chief People Officer, said in a statement:
Over the past 18 months, we’ve been laser-focused on the employee experience. From protecting the health and safety of our team through our protocols to increased flexibility and resources to guide our team members as we work in new ways. Ensuring we can support our employees with the tools to prepare and plan for a successful hybrid work model is critical for their well-being, business continuity, and serving our customers.
As COVID-19 cases continue to scale, the company doesn’t want to expose employees and hopes that the cases will reduce before everyone returns to the office.
