Great article that summarizes the concerns I have for the company: https://jasonfeifer.bulletin.com/here-s-why-the-best-workers-leave-companies-while-the-worst-ones-stay/
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Says the guy selling a book about his career advice and 'services'.....so YMMV. In other words, don't trust what the guy says, do your own research, as well.
However, what he wrote is not entirely incorrect: the best workers will leave, but it is for a variety of reasons, and it is not simple - and also some will stay for a lot of reasons, too. Some people will stay or go based on bad work environment (which is any major company nowadays, is bad), some will stay or go for the money only and don't care so much about work environment or office politics.
In Fords' case, I believe the matter is two fold: people are leaving simple because they can....so many dropped out during COVID there is now a shortage of workers, so it has become a highest bidder game. Couple that with seemingly everyone wanting the same type of worker (tech savy engineer types), and salaries have gone through the roof to the point old line companies like Ford can't keep up.
It is becoming a self fulfilling prophecy in that people are leaving Ford, people are not coming into Ford, so Ford is getting smaller, but in a bad way, so that the company will have to bring in more specialized consultants and purchased service companies, so that there will be very few actual Ford employees in the future. In reality, I think that is what the upper suite executives and board wants anyway.....
Silly article based on a very small number of people "research", but sheds light on a true statement: the best workers will leave the company when office politics and lack of leadership makes working difficult. Since all companies are looking for valued employees, the best workers usually have the knowledge and the passion needed to find another job.
When I was hired several years ago at Ford, and I saw all the issues in the company then, I thought that I could improve things noticeably. I have improved some things (a tiny little bit), but for the most part, Ford is suffering from self inflicted wounds. Most of my efforts were in vane, and my biggest peeves were with management.
Not a couple of years in my position, and I was already thinking (a lot) of quitting. The problem is that there are not many companies that big in Michigan, and I didn't want to take a pay cut. So I dialed down my "aggressive" attempts to do things right, because it was more convenient for me, in the short term, to keep the job.
I reminded myself that my name is not in the facade of the building and that I want to reach old age, not die of a heart attack at work. So I still get paid for looking at the emptiness while in meetings, and when wasting my time using some of the tools or processes imposed on me.
Now I am waiting for the next round of layoffs, with no fear at all. I think I will stay for another year, but it is not a big deal if I don't. I already prepared myself mentally, and almost done materially, for the next stage of my life. I will need another job to get where I want to be.
BTW, I don't care if my comment gets deleted, like so many times before in this site. Ford HR can kiss my @ss.