How does this save the company money.............. unless it's earned vacation pay they would otherwise have to reimburse an employee they let go in the future.
Something just doesn't fit.
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Most of Ford manufacturing takes a week of "vacation" i.e. down time in July. Essentially, that week is going to be used now. The down time in July will be sc-apped (on the presumption that we are back in business and playing catch up on production). Never forget - if Ford isn't making something, there's no money coming in. So, what it does is setup increased production at a time when it will be needed the most. It costs Ford a billion a week to pay the rent, lights, bills, and payroll. Ford has 21 billion of cash on hand - that's 21 weeks before NO ONE has a job. All of these actions are designed to stretch that 21 as far as it can go. And, ramping back up to full production (no down time) will be one way to do that.
@epw+14crjTC9 at least I'm not the only one that noticed the body language in the last huddle. There is something bigger going on folks. I think Moonbeam is out once this Corona settles, maybe Farley as well (the $2million consolation prize for CEO seems like a planned future). I think there is a large merger or acquisition coming that will impact Ford's structure from the top down (most especially at the top). Stay tuned. Something akin to when the banks got bailed out (Bank of America was given Meryl Lynch, etc.) Trump and the country cannot afford to lose domestic manufacturing and the government will do anything required to keep this footprint. Heck, maybe Fields is coming back, Trump took a shine to him when he was CEO (one of the few CEOs who jumped to work with him on trade and manufacturing). Maybe Heinrichs is coming back too (another person who was involved heavily in USMCA, Trump always notices and helps people who advance his agenda).
I am interested to see how many take ‘voluntary sabbaticals’.
If all the IT LL5 and LL6 were put on ‘voluntary sabbaticals‘ more work would get done.
There would be less infighting and posturing and people would just get things done.
Seriously our LL5 is a dunderhead. The last thing he hears is what he believes is true so he constantly changes directions. It has been pure bliss not seeing his bald head bobbing through the work areas hourly checking to see that everyone is in their seats.
I’d have to agree that anyone who interfaces with Ford upper management needs to look them in the eye to see if they are telling the truth. The Ford culture is very cut throat and back stabbing that is why in many areas people are very unsettled with not being able to see all their colleagues and leadership daily. It is hard for some people to read others over the phone or electronically. In a healthy company people would just do their jobs and help each other. There are far too many people only worried about their own advancement at the expense of the company and their colleagues.
Uhh yeah, we have All the latest tools and tricks and gadgets, and we use them what you mention and even some you did not. Point is.. little chats and little snippets of information are not allowing our team to be as effective as it was before. Glad this is Nirvana for people. There is still value to looking at people in the eye and developing real repoire with people, to build and keep trust relationships - that doesn't make you a dinosaur.
Umm yep Do you guys not know how to use Webex? Your laptops have video, virtual chalkboard, Instant Message, Email, Virtual chat, Softphone and many more features. Really there is no reason you guys cannot communicate and be productive from home. How do you interface with geographically dispersed teammates? Time everyone learns some new skills.
My manager who is in IT and totes himself as an IT expert still has a woman on our team print his email for him. And the woman is required to reply to the emails from his dictation or hand written notes on printed email. To be sure his ineptitude is being exposed now. And we wonder why Silicon Valley laughs at Ford thinking they are a tech company. The train station isn’t gonna solve the attract tech savvy people to Michigan when we have dinosaurs at the helm.
It saves money on utilities. You are paying for your own flush and toilet paper.
@wdr.. That's certainly a positive for you and Ford if able to be more productive at home. Definitely, yes you can concentrate and get clear thought and worked on on certain tasks. My area involves working with engineering, Finance, purchasing, cycle plan, and Manufacturing, which are all in the same general area so there is a lot of face-to-face conversations. working with upper management as well and have directional changes that require this team interface. Some areas there is a lot of " water cooler " work that really does get done . It is a good thing the time-wasters can't sidle up to you now, or hold lengthy pointless meetings. Trying to find a balance.
@ukc+14crjTC9 nope. I have accomplished more in the weeks working from home than I have in 3 months in the office. Why? Because I can fully concentrate and crank out and thoroughly test code. When I am in the office I have all the loafers dropping by, interrupting my work and concentration. I also have my supervisor and manager independently dropping by twice a day to chitchat for a half hour. The PM drops by three times a day to chat for 15 minutes each time. And of course a couple of hours of pointless team meetings which are really only gabfests. If you are doing the math you see that I am only allowed to code (my job) 2 or 3 hours a day while in the office.
What the work from home has shown is that only 2 people on our team are really doing any work. Working from home has made it impossible for the parasites to claim they did my work.
Incredible amount of people walking around with laptops going to meetings all day long during normal business as usual days that are going to be flushed out in this shelter in place period. These are the folks they are targeting and wanting them to burn their vacation as someone said below. When other "actions" are implemented the mandatory vacation used will be a cost save.
Agency, purchased services, contractors do not get paid when they are not working. Those categories are 40% of our department.
As most are aware there is a decision point the weekend 11-12 for whether the plants will reopen on the 14. If the decision is No the plants will not reopen on the 14, that triggers plan B.
Plan B involves advising a large swath of agency, purchased services, contractors not to return to work on April 13. Another swath of these same people will be advised they can return only if they agree to substantial hourly rate reduction.
Employees will be told of their corresponding sacrifices at a later date.
People you should all know by now how Moonbeam operates. Pay attention to the body language and micro expressions on Moonbeam and Two Jim they both have tells.
Also, once things get rolling again, the July shutdowns will be cancelled and vacations discouraged as they will need all hands on deck to get the machine running again.
It accomplishes two things, let's face it it is more difficult to be as productive from home, than interfacing with dozens of people a day. So I just have everyone use 4 days of vacation will not slow down productivity that much now. If in the office and business as usual we would never do this. The second thing is when anyone is retiring or taking a package, unused vacation must be paid out/ people will stack it before their last day . If many have to burn it up now then there will be a lower payout (loss of cash flow) from Ford overall in the future
They explained why in the town hall the other day.