Ford Motor is implementing a new policy that requires the majority of its salaried workforce to return to the office four days a week. The goal behind this decision is to enhance both employee performance and company productivity.

In response to a Reuters query, a Ford spokesperson expressed that many employees have been working in the office for at least three days a week. The spokesperson believes that collaborating in person on a daily basis will facilitate Ford’s transition into a more profitable, dynamic, and less cyclical organization.

This new policy impacts most of Ford’s global salaried workforce; however, the exact number of employees influenced by the change was not disclosed. The announcement was made to employees on a Wednesday, with the policy set to take effect starting September 1st.

Businesses around the world have grappled with how much flexibility to allow workers since the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Some, such as JPMorgan and Amazon, have mandated that hybrid workers return five days a week.

Ford’s crosstown rival General Motors faced backlash in late 2022 for calling workers back into the office for three days a week. The company backed off the policy before implementing it in 2023.

The Detroit automakers have been trying to woo executives from Silicon Valley who are accustomed to a more flexible working style, while also implementing more strenuous bonus and attendance policies to instill a sense of urgency as the companies race against electric vehicle giants like Tesla.

Ford in February slashed stock bonuses for many of its middle managers, in what the company said was a move to incentivize improved performance. GM last year changed its employee performance evaluation ranking to a system that put more pressure on low performers to improve or leave.