14 Pros And Cons Of Working For Ford

Since its inception in 1903, Ford Motor Company has been manufacturing quality vehicles at its home base in Dearborn, Michigan.

Today, they’ve expanded operations all over the world to countries like Australia, India, the Philippines, and Britain.

However, the same quality and work ethic that Henry Ford originally envisioned for his product, remains.

In an age where technology has seemingly taken over, Ford vehicles are designed, engineered, and built by people.

Over 186,000 people work for Ford.

The vehicle’s motto is “Built Ford Tough.”

But how tough is it to work at Ford? Read on to find out.

Table of Contents

Pros Of Working For Ford
Cons Of Working For Ford
14 Pros And Cons Of Working For Ford – Summary Table
Should You Work For Ford?

Pros Of Working For Ford

1. Schedule

Once you are given your work schedule at Ford, you can rest easy knowing it’s good for a year.

There will be no week-to-week changes or emergency call-ins.

Employees can safely plan family time and other responsibilities around their set work schedule.

This is an important aspect for many people who need consistency and a good work-life balance.

It can also help foster friendships and good relationships with co-workers that work the same shift.

2. Benefits

Employees at Ford rank benefits high on the list of the perks of working at the company.

They offer a full medical package that includes dental and vision care.

In addition, there is the ability to accrue paid time off that can be used for whatever is needed.

Vacation time is increased based on seniority.

The company also pays into a 401K retirement fund and gives employees access to legal services, and disability insurance.

If you’re looking to contribute to your education, Ford will pay some of the expenses.

On major holidays, the company is closed and employees are paid for the day.

3. Good Money For The By Industry Standards

Most Ford employees agree that the pay is pretty decent as far as assembly line jobs are concerned.

The average worker on the line makes $26.50 an hour.

Another pro is that raises are given often in this area, and it’s easy to quickly earn the top pay of about $33.00 per hour.

This is a great job for people that want to make a steady paycheck right out of high school and may not want to continue their education right away.

For other areas of the company, like managerial and executive positions, the salaries range from $90,000 to $120,000.

This is more consistent with other companies in the industry.

4. Plenty Of Opportunities For Over-Time

Since schedules are set for a year in advance and they stand by their promise to not call people in on days off, there’s plenty of voluntary overtime.

Employees can choose from plenty of extra shifts at various times and days.

This can be quite lucrative for anyone looking to have some extra cash.

The best part is, you’re actually paid overtime wages.

5. Perks

For employees that are in supervisory, service, and managerial positions, Ford supplies an array of perks.

The company will supply you with cell phones, laptops, and even a company vehicle.

You can also be compensated for commuting expenses and visits to restaurants if it’s related to company business.

The fact that you don’t have to pay for electronics or a vehicle is quite an attractive feature of Ford.

6. Discounts On Vehicles

All Ford employees are eligible for the “Ford-A-Plan” which allows them to lease, finance, or purchase any Ford vehicle at the wholesale price plus an additional 1-2% discount (depending on the model).

This could mean savings of up to 50% on a new car.

This is a huge perk for working families that may be in need of a new car.

It’s also a great way to buy a vehicle for a teenager’s big birthday when you otherwise couldn’t afford to do so.

7. Family Focused

Ford understands the importance of new parents being able to spend time with their children.

That’s why they offer 8 weeks of paid parental leave.

You can choose to take all 8 weeks consecutively or save 2 weeks for a later time.

New parents can also take part in the company’s “Ramp Up” program.

This allows parents returning from leave to work 4 days a week but gets paid for 5.

If you are considering adoption, Ford will help with fees up to $5,000.

There’s also a generous number of family days, where workers can take off due to family emergencies or illness.

Cons Of Working For Ford

1. No Support

Many workers report that there is little support from management.

Employees are often asked to perform tasks outside the scope of their job.

Training and development are minimal.

They also report that technology is not up to date and they are made to buy their own tools.

Some workers have also said that management does not listen to their concerns or suggestions for improvement.

2. No Pension

While workers that have been with the company for years are covered by a pension plan, new workers and all new hires are not.

There is a 401K plan that workers can contribute to (Ford pays about 5%).

This can lead to a lack of employee loyalty and high turnover rates.

For many people, a pension is a benefit they simply cannot or will not go without.

When given the opportunity for a comparable job with a pension, many workers will jump at it.

3. Physically Demanding

There’s no denying that many jobs at the Ford plants are physically demanding and can take a toll on the body.

You stand for most of the shift.

There’s a lot of bending, reaching, kneeling, lifting, and overuse of many muscles.

Employees in the assembly and mechanics divisions report that they regularly leave with general aches and pains after a day’s work.

Often, there are more serious issues like pulled muscles, sprains, cuts, and bruises.

If you are not up for hard, physical labor, this won’t be a job that will make you happy.

4. Very Fast Paced

If you’re looking for a laid-back, work-at-your-own-pace type of job, Ford is not the company for you.

While some people enjoy a fast-paced environment, it’s not for everyone.

All divisions of this company are constantly on the go.

Assembly workers need to keep up with the line and are expected to reach quotas.

Supervisors and managers are responsible for hundreds of workers at a time.

They need to ensure that all tasks are completed correctly and promptly.

5. Working Conditions

It’s always nice to work in a comfortable environment.

This may not always be the case at some of Ford’s plants.

It has been stated that in many areas there is no air conditioning or heat.

The noise level is at times unbearable and workers must provide their own protective gear.

Also, some areas are dirty, unsanitary, and have bugs and rodents.

Other workers have claimed there is no time clock and breaks are not consistently given.

6. Little Room For Advancement

Most people take jobs in the hopes of gradually moving up the ladder.

Some employees say that this is one of the drawbacks of working at Ford.

It’s difficult to break out of line work, the service department, and the mechanic’s division and move up to the management and executive divisions.

Often, the company will hire outside the corporation.

This leaves employees feeling they are at a dead-end job.

7. Constantly Changing Policies

What some workers refer to as “flavor of the day” or “fads”.

They state that Ford has a habit of changing policies at a whim, based on current trends.

But they give no thought to whether these trends will continue.

So employees are made to constantly adapt to new ways of performing tasks, following new rules and procedures.

Just as they get used to the new ways, they are changed to a completely new set of regulations and responsibilities.

This can lead to frustration and confusion.

Certainly, not something everyone can or should need to deal with when producing vehicles.