Enough people are gone to not have to fear layoffs and so few are joining that I can do an average job and not worry about being called out. Ford is in a position where it can't lose any more people which works well for the rest of us. I'm not saying do your bare minimum, but remember all those extra hours you worked for no pay over the years? I think this is the perfect time to make up for it.
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@6lca+1fVAiQab JF a great leader! You must be named Tattoo from Fantasy Island. That makes Billy Mr. Roarke.
You need to pull your nose out of JF behind. Not a good example of a leader with a Vision or Plan.
So JF has been here since the late 2000's. Name something he actually delivered? He was in charge of global marketing. Yet our market share declined & we pulled out of market segments under JF. So, a true Product guy he is not.
He criticizes his workforce. But he needs to look in the mirror an realize he is the problem. He definitely is not Alan Mullay or a Bob Lutz. They were visionaries with a realistic plan.
JF well He is just Billys Pet.
@6zvp+1fVAiQab You mentioned they got rid of technical experts - are those positions gone? Did they fire the people holding them, or shuffle them around?
The hiring process is broken. Management hires people like themselves, not people with aptitude and skills.
The firing process is broken. Management fires people who are threats to them (more skilled, more respected, more liked, better paid because they are top achievers)
Ford can’t retain good employees, they want to learn, grow and soar with eagles ; not roll around in the mud with coworkers fighting over scraps and pulling others down.
So Ford is doomed as they consistently excel at repelling good employees and attracting and retaining bad employees.
CarCar is great at buffing the tird and selling hot air, but nothing has changed for the better. Seriously what well run company needs to hire BCG to tell them what to do? And what leader with an ounce of common sense would say Hey let’s get rid of all of our technical experts because they make the most money. And then let’s give ourselves a bonus for saving their salaries. A well run company would fire the masses of loafers and all the non-contributors on the friends and family plan. A well run company would prune the top heavy management tree. Yes I know Ford doesn’t even pretend to be a well run company.
This SRD will be easy, just let go the lazy folks who don't want to come back to the office! So, you think working from home is going great eh?... Not so, Ford sales and market share keep declining and it's not just the CHIP. Ford has the the drive and a great leader with J. Farley! He gets it... Reshape Ford into the future and purge the lazy laptop clicking staff who do little to help Ford win!
You nailed it too. Here's the conundrum, right? If they think we existing employees can't learn new skills, what makes them think new employees will be able to learn new skills later on down the road when their skills are no longer valued?
Farley did more damage than he'll ever know. All employees, especially lower seniority younger, have to completely be questioning their futures. If they're not, they're stupid. He made it known that the future is with those who don't even work for Ford. All employees are now on notice and it shouldn't be a surprise that everyone is at risk. We're trending toward a massive SRD probably this year, but this new no more YE PR's presents a real conundrum. They did this to unofficially bring back A, B, C (GE alum) with Waldo coming to lead HR, which means they will strike with more SRD's and maybe in greater numbers. Their thinking now revolves around being able to more easily do this because performance ratings now longer get in their way- think, "Ford targets older high performing workers." If they were to let you go because you're over the midpoint (and over the hill), how would you prove you're a high performer. going forward? The fun is just beginning people.. Get your popcorn ready.
The sad thing is that the fix for all of this is easy. Improve morale!!
How? First, tell Bill to shut up about his personal politics. Keep that cr-p at his $10 million mansion in Ann Arbor. Second, let Jim "retire" and bring in a CEOn with real automotive experience. 3rd, announce ICE support into the near future at the same time as bringing EVs to the market. 4th, admit that manufacturing automobiles and selling them is where the bulk of your revenue will come from. Not data, software, or subscriptions.
Do that and things will start to equalize again. The most desirable vehicles Ford produces are there F150, Bronco, and Mustang. Guess what, those buyers do not want EV versions!! Get back to the core of what this company does and does well, and keep the shiny things on the periphery!
Until then, say goodbye to your real talent......
Plus infinity & beyond with this thread...
For awhile now, I have been feeling this way - at least since 2018/2019 the last major employment actions. In my 25 year career, have seen way too much stuff to much care anymore about the threat of layoff. While not quite 'bulletproof' in terms of having enough f-you money to not ever have to work again for money, wife and I have talked about it the past few weeks and we could survive if I lost my job.
So, long story short, just don't care as much as I used to....not long have the drive I did 10 years ago and I was chasing that brass ring. Has nothing to do with age, either, as I have summoned up the where with all in other areas of my life that require commitment and fortitude (getting in best shape of my life, learning new skills, etc.) I no longer work as long or hard as I used to, I push back more, and will delay and stall where ever I can. Should I leave - probably. Part of me wants to be let go simple so I can collect the severance so I can have some paid time off (I admit I am lucky, as I am retirement eligible and have the GRP so my plan would be collect the severance, wait a until end of the year, then file for retirement), other part of me struggles with the fact I may want to semi-retire and only work hobby type jobs for a little money....but don't think that is realistic given my age and how things are nowadays.
However, think I will be here at least through end of 22 and maybe beyond, as for all the talk about layoffs, the sad fact is Ford really can't hire anyone much less the people we really need per "we don't have those people" Farley (ever hear of training people, Mr. I Live In A Van Down by the River? If we are not capable of learning how to do something, why were any of us ever hired here inn the first place? One thing I have never figured out about this company is why they have such an aversion to training existing employees in new skills to support company objectives...) Can't see how there will be mass layoffs except in areas they no longer intend to be active in.
You absolutely nailed it. It's not surprising we're seeing A LOT more posts like these. I'm there myself from the standpoint that I'm about to downshift this dramatically in the wake of picking up my 50th+ indirect reporting relationship- tired of bailing their arses out only to be told to take a different approach to something that actually works well. But not surprising given we're now in the Farley world of, "Everything is broken so go fix it."
You can actually do the bare minimum, depending on where you're at and who you serve. If the people around you are that bad and they are in my dept, I would still look good doing the bare minimum versus going above and beyond. I only get sacked with more and more undesirable work because nobody else can or will do it and they're not held accountable. It has to go somewhere, but if they don't care, why should I?
Go for it, 70% of salaried excel at being below average pay check collectors @Ford. Milk the cow for all you can before it is taken to the butcher. Meanwhile the competitors have been watching and enjoying the show. They can see that their strategy of hard work, technical excellence and continual incremental improvements is paying off. Soon Ford will no longer be taking rice out of their children’s mouths.
"In summary, a long and it seems sometimes a never ending string of bad decisions are sinking the company."
It's happened before, who would have thought the iconic retail, Sears would be gone? Bad decisions in retail made Amazon possible. Amazon started as an online bookstore. Soon Teslas and Cenntros may be everywhere.
@OP. If enough people are gone from your area, your workload should have increased and I am pretty sure you wouldn't like it. Instead, I'd say you are enjoying the low moral in the company (nobody gives a cr-p anymore) and the lack of a real plan (managers are more concerned with their political games, than getting things done).
In general, things are looking really dicey for the company: lower compensation packages means less people interested in working @Ford; lack of opportunities means knowledgeable employees are leaving; the push for working in Dearborn/Detroit is NOT attracting young talent, but reducing the pool of applicants; upper management is ki----g ICE (which generates +90% of the profits of the company), instead of focusing in quality control. In summary, a long and it seems sometimes a never ending string of bad decisions are sinking the company.
IDK if the company will survive, but I am sure myself and thousands of other Ford employees are going to "feel the heat" soon enough. So yes, enjoy it while you can.