Stellantis announced through an internal communication that, starting March 3, employees will need to return to working on-site three to five days per week. This decision follows a series of important changes for the Italian-French automotive group, including CEO Carlos Tavares’ resignation in December, which occurred during a particularly delicate time marked by declining sales, tensions with dealers, and intense negotiations with the United Auto Workers union over production distribution.
Stellantis notified employees via email about mandatory return to office work
Antonio Filosa, Chief Operating Officer for North America since October, is focusing on revitalizing the U.S. market, where the group’s vehicles have often been perceived as not price-competitive. His priority is strengthening the company’s position in this strategic region.
In 2022, Stellantis had introduced the “New Era of Agility” program, a flexible work policy that allowed non-production line employees to work remotely up to 70% of the time. The initiative aimed to attract talent regardless of geographical location. However, in recent months, some sectors such as engineering, technology, and production had already been called back to the office more frequently. The latest directive now extends this requirement to a broader portion of employees, marking another step toward returning to pre-pandemic work arrangements.
“As we accelerate our transformation, we recognize the value of consistent on-site presence and consider it a key factor in winning in the marketplace,” according to a statement from Stellantis sent by spokesperson Jodi Tinson. “Many of our teams are already working on-site 3-5 days per week as we maintain a flexible work environment. Today’s announcement confirms that bringing teams together to build stronger connections is a competitive necessity.”
It remains unclear what impact the new return-to-office policy will have on plans for Stellantis‘ North American headquarters campus in Auburn Hills. During 2023 negotiations with the United Auto Workers, the company had considered the possibility of selling or closing more than 18 facilities in the United States, including the Auburn Hills complex, which includes an office tower and technical center on approximately 500 acres.