(Biz Women Journals) - General Motors CEO Mary Barra yesterday apologized to salaried workers for the timing of a memo sent late Friday afternoon outlining a new back-to-office policy and delayed the implementation of the plan.
The email said that GM employees who had been working remotely during the pandemic would be required later this year to return to the office at least three days a week, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The email triggered employee pushback about both the updated policy and the timing of the announcement, leading Barra to partially walk back the decision, announcing Tuesday that the automaker will not implement the requirement this year but that “a more regular, in-person presence” will still be the plan for the future.
“Our plan was always, and still is, to collaboratively design the solution that best balances the needs of the enterprise with the needs of each of you,” Barra said.
GM spokeswoman Maria Raynal reiterated to the Free Press that although the timing for a return-to-office requirement has shifted, “the overall plan has not changed."
Since April 2021, the automakers’ employees have been operating under a "work appropriately" philosophy that says they have the flexibility to work “where they can have the greatest impact to achieve their goals and for their individual success.”
Detroit-based General Motors (NYSE: GM) has more than 94,000 employees in the United States. Pre-pandemic, about 5,000 employees worked in the company's headquarters, which is located in the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, per the Free Press. General Motors also is a part-owner of the building.
Barra said that the release of the message late on a Friday afternoon was “unfortunate” and “unintentional” but was driven by the information being shared “prematurely” in some parts of the company, the New York Post reported.
Raynal said the company will share details with employees as future plans solidify in the coming months.
“We understand our employees have concerns and are committed to maintaining flexibility to ensure they can attend to personal commitments,” Raynal told the New York Post in a statement. “As we implement this change, we are listening to employee feedback and will incorporate it into our planning.”
By Anne Stych
