Automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company recently said that it is extending its ‘work-from-home’ arrangement for its salaried employees based in the United States for the rest of the year. The decision by the Ford management is taken after multiple requests by employees to keep working remotely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In an official statement, the company said it will begin surveying salaried employees on June 18 to determine work arrangements for 2021 For the remainder of this year, white collar workers have the option to work remotely, in the office or a combination of both, the company said.
According to the company, the 30,000 strong US workforce will be the first to receive a survey to share how they would prefer to work between September and the end of the year.
Employees will rank their preferences between working remotely full-time, returning to the office full-time, or creating a “blended approach” that includes time both in the office and at home. The survey will also be issued globally to the entire virtual workforce, including some employees who have returned to the office in other regions.
“As we make plans to bring back the remote workforce, many team members favored these new ways to work and found them empowering, flexible and cost effective,” Ford said in the statement. “This has inspired us to expand the optionality for this work arrangement beyond September.”
This is the second time Ford has pushed back plans to bring salaried workers back into offices. Hourly workers returned to factories a month ago and some have tested positive for the virus, although Ford has said the contagion was contracted outside its facilities.
The automaker, which has denied that safety protocols are inadequate, said delaying salaried workers’ return helps ensure there’s enough personal protective equipment for factory employees, who can’t work remotely.
After Google, Facebook and Microsoft, Ford is the recent company to not open its offices for employees allowing them to continue working remotely amid the pandemic. However, several firms like Twitter and Square have now announced a permanent remote working arrangement for their employees.
