Tesla is currently causing a stir with a controversial procedure at the Gigafactory Grünheide near Berlin. Due to a conspicuously high sickness rate, the car manufacturer is sending plant managers on unannounced home visits to check employees’ sick notes. The aim of this measure is to reduce the sickness rate and curb potential abuse.
The most important facts in brief:
- Tesla is carrying out home visits to employees who have reported sick.
- The background to this is a high sickness rate at the Gigafactory Grünheide.
- The aim is to prevent abuse and increase productivity.
- The measure has been met with criticism and legal concerns.
Background: High sickness rate at Tesla
The Gigafactory Grünheide, Tesla’s largest plant in Europe, has seen an unusually high sickness rate in recent months. This is not only affecting production, but also the efficiency of the plant. Tesla therefore decided to instruct plant managers to make unannounced visits to employees who have reported sick. Those responsible hope that this will reduce the sickness rate and identify possible cases of abuse.
As reported by Handelsblatt and others, the plant managers visit employees at home to determine whether the sick leave is actually justified. This measure is part of a broader plan to increase productivity at the plant, which currently employs around 10,000 people.
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Legal and ethical concerns of Tesla actions
Although Tesla argues that the visits are necessary to combat the high levels of absenteeism, there are legal and ethical concerns. In Germany, employer inspections of employees who report sick are legally possible, but only within certain limits. The unexpected home visits could be seen as an invasion of privacy and trade unions are also concerned about this practice.
Furthermore, the question arises as to whether these measures really help to reduce sickness rates or whether they damage employees’ trust in the company. Critics emphasize that a healthy working environment and open communication are more important factors in reducing absenteeism than pressure from controls.
Conclusion
Tesla’s unusual method of monitoring sickness levels at the Gigafactory Grünheide through home visits is causing debate. While the company sees this as a necessary measure to improve productivity, there are considerable concerns about employee privacy. It remains to be seen whether this measure will be successful in the long term.
