Is anybody else being asked to do things they've never done before? Things they've never been trained to do that have never been part of their jobs? I know they laid off a bunch of people and now there's extra work to be done, but if nothing else, assign me the work I know how to do! My manager has been fair and accepted it every time I explained why I can't do something, but I don't think he'll have that choice for much longer. I know he's getting heat from above as well. It's just one huge mess nowadays.
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I'm making what many may consider to be a surprising post. I have said that a person can't always control what bad things may happen to them and even those who perpretate those events. However, we can try control how we react to those things. Ad difficult as this is ( and believe me it's horrific), maybe we can control how we react as positively as possible. It has not been easy yet and I'm still trying to process this. So i realize this is a bit hypocritical but food for thought.
I don't know why Ford wants to even build vehicles anymore. You layoff all your experienced people, no training for new employees. Build and design half your portfolio out of the country, then try and sell the product back here in the USA. What a mess!! Management, board of directors and CEO have no idea what they are doing, they are ruining the company, and it is obvious. You think quality will improve when you have created a company driven by fear and layoff.
I've been at Ford for 23 years. It is always a mess after a round of voluntary or involuntary separations but eventually, the dust does settle. Everytime, we lose both knowledge and bloat. Everytime, we regroup and move forward. It may be messy now, but your team will find a way to move forward.
Just dont do it
They will blame your for mistakes
Instead wlrk on the safe zones
I worked for 30 years and got the pink slip. We had a team of 10. Now the team has 5. We are expected to have the same output. Follow the money.
Ford has been relying on engineering resources in South America and India. Those engineers are naturally on a learning curve as we all were. But when we were on learning curve 25-30 yrs ago, we had experienced engineers and TS’s to learn from. I am concerned this time all that knowledge base for the new guys, both in FNA and other international engineering centers, has been cut.
@vqt I think that's what the decision makers don't realize. The people we lost made everyone's jobs more efficient as they could turn a 4 hour research project into a 5 minute discussion.
It's causing additional emails and meetings as people don't know where to go for answers so they are involving everyone. It's crazy.
It’s happening to many. People where not let go because of lack of work, they were let go because Ford wanted to save money by having fewer people doing the same amount of work.
Ah, yes. A company with known quality issues trying to make less do more.
This will end well.......
You must have invented a way back time machine, cause welcome back to 2008 or 2018! That is exactly how it was during both those times - so many people let go at once that it causes mass confusion in some areas. Plus all the big talk about how we are going to be doing some stuff anymore - that never really happens and the ones left behind get stuck doing more work than ever.
At some point some of you maybe wishing you had been cut. Just do the best you can, and lean (I.e. force) on your upper leadership to make decisions on what gets done and make them prioritize the work.
@OP. Of course! Less people doesn't mean less work! Luckily for me, I was assigned only the red tape procedures, which are a PITA to learn. Another coworker took the rest of the tasks assigned to the guy who was let go.
My LL6 is trying to remove things from our plates, but almost everything is high priority due yesterday. Some people in my team are working longer hours, but not me. That's the road to burn out: I've been there; not anymore. I'll work longer hours for free, when the upper management bonuses are smaller A.K.A when he-l freezes over.
@pqk+1ivKDyd2 If incompetence or lack of knowledge would be the reason to be laid off, the company would be in better shape. It doesn't matter what you do, or how well you do it. This is about cost cutting and outsourcing the biggest liabilities first, so age, pension milestone, health problems, are the ones selected. The ones taking the decisions truly don't know the inner workings of your team., nor consult with your LL6. So relax!
Saying you can’t do stuff is a good way to get your name on the next list.