Ford now eyeing January for return to office

Ford is pushing back its return to in-office work to January amid the rise in delta variant coronavirus cases across the country.

“The state of the COVID-19 virus remains very fluid and therefore we are adjusting the start of our hybrid work arrangement to no earlier than January 2022,” Ford said in a statement Wednesday.

The hybrid return-to-work program was supposed to begin in October for the company’s 86,000 employees globally who have been working from home, according to CNBC News. 

Some 120,000 to 130,000 Ford staffers, primarily in manufacturing, have already returned to work.

“The flexible hybrid model will be the primary work arrangement for employees whose work is not site-dependent,” the company stated.

Many companies have pushed back their return-to-office dates due to the rise in delta variant cases. 

Several have also placed vaccination and mask mandates on employees who wish to return to work in person. 

Ford is also offering a new short-term remote work arrangement that will let employees work from any location in the country for up to 30 days a year as long as their work is not site-dependent.