FORD TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INDIA:
GENDER INCLUSIVITY PROGRAMS AND THEIR IMPACT
Freya Susan Pulimood
Ford Technology Services India
RMZ Millenia, Campus 3A, No: 143, Dr. MGR Road,
Perungudi, Chennai – 600 096
Tel: +91 – 44 – 66553120.
Mob: +91 99628 24858
E-mail: sfreya@ford.com
Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
ABSTRACT
GENDER INCLUSIVITY PROGRAMS AND THEIR IMPACT
Ford Motor Company has consistently been the highest-ranked auto company in terms of an
inclusive work force. Ford Technology Services India (FTSI), a captive unit of Ford Motor
Company places strong emphasis on balanced opportunity for men and women at the
workplace. Realizing the demands of the 'Indian Woman', FTSI boasts of several Work-Life
Balance Initiatives. One popular program is the Flexible Work Option that encourages
women with childcare or eldercare responsibilities to work from home one day a week. To
facilitate this option, laptops with secure IDs are provided to those enrolled in this plan. The
Transitional Work Arrangement initiative enables employees to work either 60% or 80%
of the expected 45 hours a week for a corresponding reduction in salary. This gives them the
time and energy to balance their home and work responsibilities. A newly introduced
program is the Alternate Work Schedule that gives employees the option of working an
extra hour every day for 9 work days and getting every tenth day off to focus on other
priorities. Since several women give up their career aspirations to look after their infants, the
free Crèche Facility that is equipped for 20 children between the ages of 4 months and 4
years has helped FTSI in the attraction and retention of some of the most talented women in
the field. The IT Women in Leadership (ITWiL) - an active forum aimed at empowering
women and developing leadership qualities in the workplace through discussions and events
– is another woman-centric initiative that has helped groom women in leadership positions
within the company. Flexible Work Time which allows employees to choose their check-in
and check-out times provided they clock 45 hours a week, is a privilege that permits them to
accommodate non-work related activities. To supplement the formal programs, FTSI has an
organizational culture that constantly appreciates, motivates and supports women and their
career growth and this has manifested itself in very high retention and very low attrition rates
amongst women at FTSI.
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
Contents
1. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND DIVERSITY .......................................................................................... 4
2. IMPORTANCE OF GENDER DIVERSITY ................................................................................................. 7
3. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND GENDER DIVERSITY ........................................................................ 8
4. FORD TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INDIA ............................................................................................... 10
5. FTSI AND GENDER INCUSIVITY PROGRAMS..................................................................................... 10
5.1. Why Inclusivity programs? .................................................................................................................... 10
5.2. What are the programs available? ......................................................................................................... 11
5.3. Who uses these initiatives?...................................................................................................................... 14
5.4. Inclusivity Programs – their impact....................................................................................................... 15
5.5. Future of Gender Inclusivity programs at FTSI................................................................................... 16
REFERENCES: .................................................................................................................................................. 17
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
Fueled by DIVERSITY. DRIVEN by Business – Ford Motor Company
1. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND DIVERSITY
Ford Motor Company has worked hard to drive progress in diversity and to create an
inclusive environment that encourages every employee to contribute to the success of the
business. An environment that fosters dignity and respect, where every employee is fully
engaged and committed to rebuilding the business, is critical to our success. To ensure that
we are able to attract, develop, and retain the most talented individuals who can design, build,
and sell the best cars and trucks, we need to get optimal performance from every employee
by providing a work environment free of harassment or other artificial barriers based on age,
race, gender, religion, culture, physical abilities, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
As far back as 1913, Henry Ford recognized the virtue of a trained and educated work forceregardless of race. As African-Americans migrated to the North in search of meaningful
work, Henry Ford tapped into this powerful new labor force and hired African-Americans to
work in his automotive assembly plants. Ford not only hired African-Americans, he also
ensured that they received the same pay as their white counterparts. "Equal Pay for Equal
Work" was a radical notion for the times. [1]
The company's 11-member board has one Black member, one Latino member and two
women members. Although the economy has been difficult for this company and its industry,
Ford's retention rates reflect no bias; employees that have stayed are retained at the same rate,
regardless of race/ethnicity or gender. [2]
"If we are able to bring together a diverse set of minds and apply them to automotive
challenges, we'll have an amazing kaleidoscope of ideas to choose from. This is the business
case for diversity and work life." - Joginder Singh - Executive Director, APA
At Ford, diversity translates to:
Respect – for our employees, customers, dealers, investors, suppliers, unions/councils,
retirees and communities
Appreciation – of our differences
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
Inclusion – of everyone and every perspective
Integrity – to do the right thing, always! Inclusion at Ford is a culture that attracts, inspires,
and involves employees with their unique talents and perspectives to do their best work in
achieving ONE Ford. To be inclusive, Ford employees are expected to:
•
Believe in skilled and motivated people working together
•
Include everyone; respect, listen to, help and appreciate others
•
Build strong relationships; be a team player; develop ourselves and others
•
Communicate clearly, concisely and candidly
"By intentionally seeking out the diverse perspectives, ideas and experiences of our partners
around the world, we are better equipped to accelerate the development of innovative
products and technologies that our customers want and value."
[2]
- Alan Mulally, President
and CEO, Ford Motor Company
A perennial DiversityInc Top 50 company [2], Ford has remained a diversity leader even as its
industry is in turmoil. It consistently has been the highest-ranked auto company because of its
commitment to an inclusive work force and its strong community philanthropy. Its long-term
commitment to diversity transcends economic upheavals and major downsizings. The
company is very strong in all four areas measured by DiversityInc.--CEO Commitment,
Human Capital, Corporate Communications and Supplier Diversity
Through its history, Ford Motor Company has proven that Diversity is important. Ford has
paved the path and had a lot of "firsts" on the Diversity Road. By as early as 1916, Ford
employees represented 62 nationalities and every major world religion. By 1919, there were
enough Ford employees of Middle Eastern descent in the Detroit area to support a Muslim
mosque — the first to be built in the United States. Ford also employed more than 900 people
with disabilities. We were one of the first companies to adapt work environments to their
needs. Ford's first African-American salaried employee, Eugene J. Collins, was hired in 1919,
despite a segregated America. Ford's first collective bargaining agreement with the United
Auto Workers in 1941 was groundbreaking because it explicitly prohibited discrimination
based on race, colour, national origin or creed. [3]
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
"We are advocating an approach, not a set of programs. It's good business, and it's simply
the right thing to do for consumers, employees and the company."
[4] -
Madeline Sulaiman-
Eason, Director, HRBO, Employee Relations.
"Diversity is not a favor to the world. It’s a richness that strengthens us as a company and
gives us a competitive advantage.”
[3]
- Bill Ford. Success and productivity are natural
extensions of a corporate culture that truly values all people.
"At Ford Motor Co., diversity and inclusion aren't just about programs and initiatives.
They're about our great people. For this reason, Ford works to ingrain respect and
inclusiveness into the very makeup of the company, from our business plan to our daily
operations. Diversity and inclusion have helped us as we've tackled some tough issues by
tapping into fresh, new ideas and exploring more flexible ways of working." [2] - Kiersten
Robinson, Director, HR Strategy, Leadership Development and Inclusion.
Diversity is an initiative taken seriously from the highest echelons of the company. An
executive council on Diversity & Worklife chaired by the then president Jacques Nasser &
then vice-president David Murphy was set up in partnership with the Corporate Diversity &
Worklife Office to oversee Diversity efforts worldwide.
The company very early also established a Global Diversity Council to help develop and
implement programs on a worldwide basis. This has included the appointment of diversity
managers in key global markets who are in the best position to understand the needs and
issues within local cultures and communities. The Global Diversity Council also actively
benchmarks Ford’s performance against other companies and shares best practices.
"Ford has made a decision about the type of corporate culture we want to have in all our
facilities -- a workplace that is fair, open and inclusive, and where all employees have the
opportunity to meet their full potential based on skills and merits. Inclusion is a common
theme woven across all our diversity initiatives. These are the practices we want to see inside
all Ford organizations, no matter where they are in the world." - Sulaiman-Eason
Ford Motor Company's founder, Henry Ford, once said, "Coming together is a beginning,
staying together is progress and working together is success."
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
2. IMPORTANCE OF GENDER DIVERSITY
Several studies have been conducted that provide Gender Diversity programs with a truly
strong business case. The major advantages of such programs can be grouped into 4 major
categories: [5]
Better financial results
"…the 25 Fortune 500 firms with the best record of promoting women to high
positions are between 18% and 69% more profitable than the median Fortune 500 firms in
their industries."
(Adler, Roy D. (2001). Women in the Executive Suite Correlate to High Profits. Glass
Ceiling Research Centre. http://glassceiling.com/InTheNewsFolder/HBRArticlePage1.html)
Improved access to a growing, well-educated workforce
"In the academic year 2001-2002, women earned 57.4% of bachelor's degrees, 58.7%
of master's degrees, and 46.3% of doctorates
(U.S
Department
of
Education,
National
Center
for
Education
Statistics.
(2003).Postsecondary Institutions in the United States: Fall 2002 and Degrees and Other
Awards Conferred: 2001-02. http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=72)
Improved market share
"Women are responsible for 83% of all consumer purchases… When you add the
purchasing officers who are women, it is an American Woman's Economy that accounts for
over half of the U.S. GDP… about $5 trillion."
(Barletta, M. (2002). Marketing to Women: How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your
Share of the World's Largest Market Segment. Dearborn Trade Publishing.)
"The number of women-owned employer firms grew by 37% between 1997 and 2002,
four times the growth rate of all employer firms."
(Centre for Women's Business Research. (2003). Top 10 Facts About Women Business
Owners.http://www.nfwbo.org/key.html)
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
Better management
"Women possess a unique combination of interpersonal and work ethic traits that
seem tailor-made for the management ranks… in a study of 452 high-level executives
performed by the Hagberg Consulting Group, female managers were rated higher than their
male counterparts in 42 of 52 skills measured.
(Collison,J. Female bosses rate higher as effective leaders: What must employers and males
do?. http://www.employerhelp.org/jimcollison/stories/female_bosses.htm)
3. FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND GENDER DIVERSITY
No matter how you cut it, the U.S. auto industry is still a man's world. With Ford's history of
Diversity Culture, it's not surprising that Ford Motor Co.'s is recognized for naming the first
woman ever to head one of its assembly plants in Northeast Ohio. Deborah S. Kent, 41,
appointed manager of Ford's 3,746-employee Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, was also
the first black female plant manager.
Until World War II, the automotive industry was a mostly male bastion. But with so many
men called to serve, more women than ever before sought employment. While their fathers,
sons, husbands and friends fought in Europe and Asia, women served the war effort right at
home, filling in quickly and capably.
In 1943, two years after the United States entered World War II, more than 30 percent of
Ford workers in the machining and assembly departments were women. Women built jeeps,
B-24 aircraft, and tractors. They even flew planes, becoming test pilots for the B-24s that
were built for the war effort. They operated drill presses, welding tools, heavy casting
machinery and—like Rose Will Monroe—riveting guns.
Rose Will Monroe was working at Ford Motor Company's Willow Run plant when actor
Walter Pidgeon chose her to appear in a promotional film for war bonds. That is how she
became a real-life "Rosie the Riveter," as depicted in the colorful and famous "We Can Do
It!" posters showing a determined woman factory worker. [6]
After the war was over, gender was added to the nondiscrimination clause in the contract
between the company and the UAW in 1946, another indication of the changing times and the
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
impact that "Rosie the Riveter" had had on industrial production at Ford Motor Company and
elsewhere. In the decades that followed, the laws caught up with the changes, and more
women took their rightful places in the boardroom as well as on the factory floor.
Ford middle years produced a number of firsts which had significant impact on gender
inclusivity, including the first African-American and female executives. In 1967, Rani Gupta
was the first woman engineer at Ford. In 1969, the company’s first plant forewoman was
promoted. In 2005, Ford named Anne Stevens, executive vice president and chief operating
officer of The Americas. She was then the highest ranking woman in the automotive industry.
In 2006, Ford launched a program called Leadership in DRIVE to help address issues
around recruitment, retention and advancement of women. [3]
The Global Ford Group also initiated a number of groups that focus on the development of
women. Professional Women’s Network (PWN), Women in Finance and the Ford
Parenting Network are just a few examples. Such groups work towards promoting an
environment that attracts, develops, retains and advances talented women for the Ford team.
Initiatives include motivational speakers, panel discussions, recruiting, flexible work
arrangements, financial planning and community activities. The Ford Parenting Network
(FPN) works to support employees in balancing work and family life. It also serves as a
resource to the company on issues that affect working parents. FPN primary mission is to
further Ford’s effort to create a balanced worklife environment—an environment where
maximum contribution at work is balanced with the employee’s fulfillment of personal and
family responsibilities. The group works to promote family-friendly worklife policies and
decisions at Ford. They also sponsor ongoing parenting classes and outstanding parenting
seminars, as well as networking opportunities for Ford parents. [3]
"My experience at Ford, more than 26 years, has shown me that a seemingly impossible
situation can often be remedied by a different perspective. With a diverse talent pool, we are
able to more easily tap into different perspectives. Diversity of thought is critical to Ford's
success, and our progress toward globalization is proof of that. As a woman working in
information technology and also an executive at an automotive company, it is clear my
gender adds diversity to the company. Both fields, IT and automotive, are historically male
dominated. I see the position as a challenge and a calling to bring more women into these
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
fields. I participate in three important organizations that I believe support a more inclusive
atmosphere for women; at Ford the Professional Women's Network (PWN) and IT Women in
Leadership (ITWiL) and outside of the office, I am the foundation President for Michigan
Council of Women in Technology (MCWT).
This foundation provides opportunities for
young women to enter the IT field and gain positive exposure to the IT workforce. These
three organizations, as well as many others, support the future of women in technology. In
2008 the U.S. reported only 18% of Computer Science undergraduate degrees were awarded
to females. This is a statistic I take very seriously, especially in light of the technological
boom in the past 20-30 years. IT is clearly a driver to the future and we, women, must play a
significant part." – Marcy Klevorn, Director, IT Operations.
4. FORD TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INDIA
Ford Technology Services India (FTSI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor
Company, USA. It is an integral part of Ford's strategy to build and strengthen Information
Technology and Engineering capability in Asia Pacific to support the aggressive corporate
growth objectives in the region. FTSI also provides additional capacity for IT systems
development / maintenance and Engineering Services support when customer demand
exceeds the capacity to deliver in other major regions like North America and Europe.
From its modest beginnings in 2001, FTSI now has almost 500 employees with 20% women
employees on the rolls.
5. FTSI AND GENDER INCUSIVITY PROGRAMS
5.1. Why Inclusivity programs?
Being part of a family that recognizes the importance of Diversity and promotes it at every
opportunity, from its inception, FTSI has enjoyed the privilege of a relaxed, trusting,
balanced work life culture. As the number of women employees increased, the number of
diversity initiatives aimed at providing equal opportunity for women also correspondingly
increased.
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
The social structure and expectations of a woman in India is still very different from those of
women in most western countries. Therefore the initiatives for the Indian women were
modified to suit the needs of the employees here. The HR team in co-ordination with the
various Diversity related teams internal and external to Ford Motor Company regularly assess
the ongoing Diversity initiatives and bring in new initiatives as they see fit to the FTSI
scenario.
5.2. What are the programs available?
FTSI boasts of several work life balance initiatives that contribute to making it a comfortable
environment to work in. Perhaps the most-used one is the Flexible Work Time. This is an
initiative available to all employees at FTSI and clearly proves that the employee holds
himself responsible for the working 45 hours a week. In FTSI, swipe cards only provide
access into the building, rather than clock the time that one enters the building and gets out.
Not surprisingly, when the employee feels that he/she is trusted, he/she is unlikely to take
advantage. Managers and HR employees are given the added responsibility of letting
employees know when they are slipping up on the required hours at work. The Flexible Work
Time is especially beneficial to women since their home-held responsibilities often require
them to be at home until their husband and children leave the house every morning or in
some families, women prefer leaving early and getting back early enough to spend time
helping children with school work. Whatever be the case, women use this initiative
effectively to balance their work and home responsibilities as needed.
Another smartly thought of initiative includes the Flexible Work Option. Using this option,
employees can work from home one day a week provided their schedule is published on their
calendars and meetings are planned accordingly. To facilitate this option, technical assistance
is provided (laptops with secure IDs and soft phones that can be used via the laptop for
international conference calls or meetings) to ensure that all facilities available at work are
extended while working from home. Many women prefer this alternative as travel time is
decreased, they can be at home for emergencies related to childcare or eldercare and they get
to spend some time with their children even while working. While some women find this a
viable option, other women say that if they are at home, home responsibilities take priority
over work-related ones and therefore they prefer to work in the office and relax with their
family when at home.
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
Transitional Work Arrangement (TWA) is a program extended to employees whose other
responsibilities take up a bulk of their time. Registering with this program, gives the
employee the option of working either 60% or 80% of the expected 45 hour week with a
corresponding decrease in salary. This program is a favourite among new mothers who are
just getting used to work after their 3 month maternity leave. This enables women to spend
more time with their baby as well as get used to new routines and lifestyle changes that
accompany a child in their lives. FTSI also encourages managers to be understanding with
regard to changes in the lives of new mothers at the same time ensuring that they do not take
their work lightly either.
A recent diversity initiative – the Alternate Work Schedule (AWS) – is still catching on.
Once you opt for this program, you are permitted to work an extra hour for 9 days and
subsequently take the tenth day off to focus on other priorities. Compared to the Flexible
Work Option that lets the employee work from home one day a week, the Alternate Work
Schedule gives the employee every tenth day off – free from work responsibilities. This gives
women time to catch up of household chores, spend an extra evening with children, visit sick
parents or just have some "alone time". In spite of changing roles of women over the last few
decades, most women are still expected to juggle work and home responsibilities at all times.
Programs like the Alternate Work Schedule enable women to set aside one day every ten
days to catch up on home chores.
In addition to all these diversity programs, the Chennai office also boasts of a well-equipped
free Crèche Facility with a capacity of 20 children between the ages of 4 months and 4
years. This has greatly profited FTSI in the attraction and retention of some very talented
women in the field. If not for a crèche located in the same compound running from 9 am to
10 pm every day, 20 talented and deserving employees would have lost a good employment
opportunity. The company spends around Rs. 6000 per month on each child at the crèche
taking into account, electricity, space, nanny salaries etc. The fact that the company is willing
to spend close to Rs.14,40,000 a year on the crèche is an indication of the company's
commitment to employee retention. Even in times of turmoil in the industry, the dedication to
employee retention initiatives has never been threatened.
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
In most companies, apart from maternity leave, only sick leave warrants an absence of more
than a month. A recent policy at FTSI – FTSI Long Leave Policy – now enables employees
to take a few months off on loss of pay with a promise of a job on return if other priorities
crop up. Not surprisingly, even though this policy extends to all employees at FTSI, the first
two employees to avail this opportunity were women. Spending some time with a child
before she goes off to college and taking time off to look after ailing parents are common
reasons that warrant the use of this policy. Policies such as these, give the employee a feeling
that they are valued in the organization and loyalty to the company is greatly increased.
Another initiative that has added to the welfare and satisfaction of women in FTSI is the IT
Women in Leadership (ITWiL). All women employees upon joining the organization
automatically become part of the ITWiL Family. It is an active forum aimed at empowering
women and developing leadership qualities in the workplace through discussions and events.
This woman-centric initiative has helped groom women in leadership positions within the
company. ITWiL not only runs programs specifically for FTSI Women like workshops on
parenting, self-grooming, self-defence etc., but also conducts programs in tandem with other
groups for women within Ford like Shakti (ITWiL's counterpart in Ford Business Service
Centre). ITWiL members also network with external groups that advocate the welfare of
women in organizations and attend combined workshops and seminars at regular intervals.
The contacts gained as such programs greatly contribute towards professional development of
individuals as well. Not just limited to enhancing the skills of women in IT, ITWiL also
organizes programs for all employees to celebrate festivals, patriotic functions and Ford
special days. A much-awaited ITWiL annual program is the "Bring your Child to Work Day"
which has been commended by Ford management worldwide.
Other forums like S'n'R (Sports and Recreation Centre) and Blueskins also contribute to the
worklife balance of employees at FTSI. S'n'R encourages employees to take part in a variety
of activities like indoor games (Chess, Carroms, Table Tennis, Indoor Golf, Darts etc.) as
well as music and dance programs and competitions organized at regular intervals. These
initiatives encourage women to step outside their role as an employee, wife or mother and
display their talents in the cultural and sport events as well. The Freshers in the organization
are referred to as the Blueskins. This group exists to help each other through their first year at
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
work. Away from the academic environment for the first time, this group supports each other
in personal and work related issues related to "getting used to working!".
"The most important factor that still has me clinging onto Ford for more than 11 years now is
the way diversity is taken as a part of every employee's responsibility. It is promoted through
various forums like ITWIL, S n R, coaching & mentoring sessions and other informal ways to
develop and sustain a very inclusive culture. ITWIL's objective to 'attract, retain and develop
women' is easily achievable through the various efforts that Ford has put in so far in the form
of policies, forums, trainings, facilities etc." – Ratna Baby Janaki, Manager Mainframe
Technical Operations.
Apart from official FTSI Diversity Programs, Ford Motor Company also recognizes efforts
towards Diversity initiatives. Every year, Diversity Awards are given globally to individuals
or groups that contribute towards supporting Diversity through various initiatives. The
importance given to this award is seen in the fact that the winner of this award is flown all the
way to the Dearborn, Michigan headquarters to receive this award from the CEO & President
of the Ford Motor Company.
5.3. Who uses these initiatives?
Even though these initiatives are not explicitly for women alone, most often, it is women who
require and therefore use the diversity programs available. As mentioned by Roopak Verma
(FTSI Centre Head), "The aim of the diversity initiatives is not to provide preferential
treatment to women in the workplace but rather to provide equal opportunity to men &
women to perform in such a competitive environment."
Mangers and HR are given the responsibility of ensuring that these programs are used by
deserving candidates and not misused at any level. From experience, Ford has realized that
when employees feel trusted, the likelihood of taking advantage of the company policies is
lesser. This says a great deal about the organizational culture encouraged in the company.
Trust, responsibility and freedom to create your own schedule while keeping in mind the
workload are examples of qualities encouraged in the Ford culture.
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
5.4. Inclusivity Programs – their impact
Creating, sustaining and using these initiatives is not an easy task. Along with freedom comes
responsibility. Such initiatives work successfully only in mature organizations where
employees are fully aware of the consequences of their actions.
On the one hand, employees are trusted enough to make their own decisions regarding their
work schedules. This encourages FTSIians to carry out responsibilities outside of work. It
also teaches people to prioritize appropriately. Working mothers are not reprimanded for
spending time with their children as long as basic policy rules are followed and work is not
affected. On the other hand, employees need to be careful while planning their work
schedules and ensuring that the team and the work deadlines are not affected by their usage of
any of the initiatives. In addition to this, managers also need to be understanding towards the
needs of employees who have other major responsibilities outside of work.
The attitude of the managers is an important factor that contributes to the success of these
initiatives. If not for a supportive manager, no initiative can ever increase employee
satisfaction. Allocation of work, intra-team relationships and employee-supervisor
relationships are all based on the attitude, behaviour and skills of the manager.
Using these initiatives also requires colleagues to be supportive in terms of creating back ups
and being ready to help in varying circumstances. Managers have noticed that this facilitates
an environment of trust and understanding as well as contributes towards building highly
effective teams.
Senior management support of diversity initiatives is taken for granted at FTSI. In keeping
with the corporate culture that encourages the Ford family to 'Include everyone; respect,
listen to, help and appreciate others', every member of the senior management cheer diversity
efforts, however small. An organizational culture that appreciates, motivates and supports
women is the key factor that contributes to the high retention and low attrition of women in
FTSI.
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Ford Technology Services India: Gender Inclusivity Programs & their Impact
5.5. Future of Gender Inclusivity programs at FTSI
The challenge often faced is with regard to the extension of diversity programs in one country
to others where Ford operates. ONE FORD advocates working as ONE TEAM with ONE
PLAN and ONE GOAL. While this may insinuate ONE POLICY in all Ford owned
companies, this is not always the case. Building a diverse and satisfied work force while
respecting the demands of the local culture is not an easy task, however, Ford's continuous
commitment to attracting and retaining best in class employees has propelled the company
towards spending time and efforts on the creation of appropriate programs based on the
cultural, social and corporate need at the time.
The use of effective collaboration tools plays an important role in the future of diversity
initiatives. Collaboration tools help individuals work efficiently across countries and time
zones. Improvement in the area of such tools can highly influence more employees to use
work options that do not require physical presence in the office at all times.
Expectations from individuals and culture are bound to change through time; hence the story
doesn't end here. To facilitate constant alignment to the Ford Diversity Principles and Values,
continuous re-visiting of policies and programs are required. With support from the
management team and clear understanding of policies at every level of the organization,
gender inclusivity programs at FTSI will surely continue to add value in the coming years.
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REFERENCES
1. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1365/is_1_31/ai_63974408/ dated September
20, 2009
2. http://diversityinc.com/content/1757/article/5463/ dated October 1, 2009
3. http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/ford-diversity-commitment dated August
30, 2009
4. http://fordglobe.org/2001/02/27fcn/EmbracingDiversity.html dated Oct 7, 2009
5. http://www.diversityacademy.com/docs/business_case.pdf dated August 30, 2009
6. http://www.ford.com/about-ford/heritage/people/rosietheriveter/657-rosie-the-riveter
dated September 15, 2009
7. http://www.diversity.ford.com/ dated September 15, 2009
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