This Is Ford’s Plan for Returning Workers to Their Jobs
Ford has not set a date for when it will reopen its car plants in North America, but the automaker has developed a detailed plan for employees’ safe return to work and is applying lessons learned from plants around the world that have already resumed production. Safety is paramount, said Ford Chief Operating Officer Jim […]
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Ford has not set a date for when it will reopen its car plants in North America, but the automaker has developed a detailed plan for employees’ safe return to work and is applying lessons learned from plants around the world that have already resumed production.
Safety is paramount, said Ford Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley on a call with reporters today. Yes, he wants to get plants humming again in North America as soon as possible, but only if it can be done right. There are 19,000 employees at four North American plants who make F-series pickup trucks. This is a profit driver. Ford sold 1 million F-series globally last year and the average transaction price is $47,000. Ford is already preparing to launch the next-generation F-150, which is older than its direct competition the Ram 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, and the GMC Sierra. “We want to restart as soon as we can and do it safely,” Farley said, noting Ford has largest volume of manufacturing in North America of all automakers.
Plants Opened Safely in China
Ford resumed production in China at the end of February. It is proving successful and the plan put in place there is being adopted globally. The AutoAlliance joint venture plant with Mazda in Thailand is also back to work. On May 4 Ford will reopen plants in Europe where many locations have powertrain assembly adjacent to vehicle assembly, making it easier to restart. In North America, some facilities have been put into operation to make masks, gowns, ventilators and other medical suppliers using Ford employees who are equipped personal protection equipment and are practicing safe distancing where possible.
North American plants won’t open for car making again until the state of Michigan allows it, because Ford wants to open all North American plants at the same time and there are critical plants—both Ford plants and the supply base—located in Michigan.
The supply base is being kept in the loop, said Gary Johnson, Chief Manufacturing and Labor Affairs Officer. There are some parts in stock from before the shutdowns. Some suppliers will need to restart a day or two ahead of the Ford vehicle assembly plants but others will reopen the same day that Ford restarts.
Online Health Assessments Before Each Shift
In China and Thailand, workers are given a list of questions to determine if they have any symptoms or underlying health conditions: the first line of defense is making sure people don’t come in if they might be sick. Those with symptoms are sent to a doctor for testing and if negative, can return to work the next day.
The same system will apply in North America where employees will do an online self-assessment every day before work. Farley said Ford does not have the ability to test all North American workers but agreements are being made with local hospitals and clinics to test workers and return results within 24 hours. The solution was devised with the help of the United Auto Workers.
Temperature Scans and Care Kits
The next precaution is that all workers get their temperature checked before entering the plant. All employees are also given a care kit that contains a mask that must be worn at all times, hand sanitizer, and for those who cannot work six feet apart, there are goggles and face shields. Work stations are spaced where possible, there are fiberglass shields between stations, and facilities will undergo regular cleaning. Cafeterias are not open. Prepackaged food is available.
Ford has an epidemiologist and other medical specialists helping them develop five core criteria to determine when to return, said Kiersten Robinson, Chief Human Relations Officer. The automaker is also working with governments around the world. With all this input, Ford has developed a set of core rules to be applied at its 800 work sites around the world.
It includes recognition that employees must unlearn certain normal behaviors and receive training on new ways of working. The company has created a digital playbook for returning to work that is being given to employees at all facilities around the world and will be shared with dealers and suppliers, as well.
A Slow Ramp-up Planned
When plants reopen, they will follow a gradual ramp-up similar to the approach in China that is still not at full capacity after many weeks. It is too complicated to slow the speed of the assembly line, but to limit the size of the production crew at any one time there are staggered shifts, time between shifts to clean stations, and some plants could limit the number of shifts in the first few weeks, said Johnson.
The thousands of salaried workers working virtually will start to return to their workplaces in groups, likely starting in late June, Robinson said. Ford also is looking into ways of helping workers caring for others in the home who might need child care options, flexible hours, a flexible leave or a sabbatical of one or four months. There are different leave programs for hourly and salaried workers. Farley says they are making PPE equipment available at dealerships, something else they learned in China. Dealers are also applying the concierge and online services developed for Lincoln and applying it to the Ford brand.
With the protocols in place, Farley said he would feel comfortable sending his own family to work in a Ford facility. Now all that’s left to do is wait.
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