- From September 1, salaried staff at the automaker will need to be in the office four days a week.
- Ford has been operating a hybrid working model since April 2022, but is now making adjustments.
- The Blue Oval is one of several that believe in the benefits of working in person to drive growth.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped workplaces around the world, forcing millions of people to work remotely. As the world has recovered, many companies, among them Ford, have instituted hybrid models, allowing for a mix of in-office and at-home work. However, the Blue Oval now wants its salaried staff to return to the office four days per week.
The change will take effect on September 1. Ford adopted its current hybrid model in April 2022 and has gradually increased the requirement for employees to work from the office three days a week. By increasing this to four, it believes it can improve performance.
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“Many of our employees have been in the office three or more days per week for some time now,” Ford spokesman Ian Thibodeau said. “We believe working together in person on a day-to-day basis will help accelerate Ford’s transformation into a higher growth, higher margin, less cyclical and more dynamic company.”
According to Reuters, the change will impact most of the maker’s global salaried workforce, although an exact number or percentage were not disclosed. Employees were notified of the updated policy on Wednesday.
A return to the office coincides with Ford’s ongoing battle with President Trump’s tariff policies, which have already led to price increases for several Mexican-made vehicles in the United States.
During the first quarter, Ford reported a net income of $471 million, which is a nearly 64 percent year-over-year decline. It has also suspended its annual guidance for 2025 due to the shifting tariff policies.
Ford isn’t the only major car manufacturer to alter its hybrid work policy this year. In March, Stellantis ordered its employees to return to the office for three to five days per week per the instructions of new CEO Antonio Filosa. At the time, the conglomerate said it viewed consistent on-site presence as a “key enabler to win in the marketplace.”
