Ford's Hackett: Remote work likely to stretch into '21

HOLLY, Mich. — Ford Motor Co. has pushed back its return-to-work plans twice, most recently giving some salaried employees the option of working remotely until at least the end of this year.

Outgoing CEO Jim Hackett thinks that policy is likely to continue beyond what the automaker has announced.

"It's my bet it will be extended beyond that," Hackett told reporters earlier this week on the sidelines of an event promoting the new Bronco SUV. "If you come this far to manage this and just say 'Well I'm tired of this' and change the profile and the risk, why did we do all the safety planning to begin with?"

Hackett, who will retire effective Oct. 1, said the automaker is shifting what he calls "we spaces," or common office areas, to be more mindful of social distancing should workers elect to return to Ford facilities.

Ford resumed production at North American manufacturing facilities in mid-May. At the same time, it recalled about 12,000 non-manufacturing employees whose jobs required them to be on site. Ford says more than 100,000 workers globally have returned to the workplace since May.

Hackett said he doesn't want to rush the remainder of Ford's white-collar work force back into offices as the pandemic continues to spread.

"Bill [Ford] and I feel the company's running really well right now the way we're all working it," he said. "So we don't want to prematurely get back."

Ford will undergo a CEO switch roughly a month before the U.S. presidential election, and Hackett said the automaker was prepared to work with either a Trump or Biden administration.

"The polarization of those two choices are dramatic for our country," he said. "What I'm certain about is that Bill Ford and I, and now Jim Farley, have a clear view of who Ford is in both of those worlds."

He said Ford would stick to its views regarding emissions standards and trade. He personally wishes both candidates would commit to improve and update infrastructure in line with his vision for "smart cities" that allow for autonomous vehicles to communicate with traffic lights and other elements of the road.

"This is about putting all the intelligence in the system so the AVs respond to the environment, the sensing, and so I'm hopeful both administrations might be interested in that," he said.

Hackett's comments came at an event celebrating the upcoming Bronco SUV and Bronco Sport crossover.

He said he felt like a "proud dad" launching the vehicle, which has been in development for five years. Hackett noted that when he came in as CEO in mid-2017, the exterior design was mostly settled but he "got his hands dirty" influencing the interior and overall customer experience.

Brand officials said the company has received 165,000 reservations for the two- and four-door Bronco since its launch last month in the form of $100 refundable deposits.

In Jeep-like fashion, Ford showed off a series of six Bronco concepts that highlighted various accessories, including fishing gear and towing equipment. The automaker plans to offer more than 200 accessories at launch for Bronco, and more than 100 for Bronco Sport.

Ford also announced that Austin, Texas, would be the site of its first "Bronco Off-Roadeo" event where owners are schooled in off-roading and network with fellow owners. It's expected to take place next summer.

Hackett, in a statement, said: "Our dream for Bronco was not just to design a family of vehicles people would love, but to build a community around people who love to go off-road and get into the wild, who want to customize and personalize their Broncos, and share experiences with each other."