Musk aims to capture an image of himself in Green Heights.
Due to an excessively high number of sick days being taken at the Tesla plant in Grünheide, CEO Elon Musk has chosen to get involved personally, expressing his concern with the situation by stating, "That sounds crazy, I'll look into it."
Recently, Tesla raised eyebrows when they unexpectedly paid visits to employees with frequent health issues at the Grünheide plant. Plant manager André Thierig defended the practice, stating, "Many companies do it," and claiming the aim was to boost employee morale. However, the labor union IG Metall criticized the high workloads in the automobile factory, labeling the home visits as "odd".
About 1000 employees have reportedly taken sick days at the plant. The unexpected visits were prompted by an unusually high sick leave rate during the summer months, according to Tesla. "In some instances, it reached 15 percent or higher," said Thierig. Tesla has been manufacturing electric vehicles in Grünheide, Brandenburg, for over two years, employing over 11,000 people, as per company records.
Tesla is looking into addressing the issue of frequent absences with team members. According to Demmler, termination should only be considered as a last resort. Following initial measures presented by management, they are analyzing patterns of when employees tend to call in sick more often. Demmler questioned, "Why do we always encounter problems on Fridays, why do the late shifts often struggle?"
Employment data reveals that employees at Tesla are more prone to sick days than the national average. The Federal Statistical Office reported an absence rate of 6.1 percent due to illness in 2021. The health insurance company DAK reported an absence rate of 5.2 percent in the automotive industry in 2021.
The lush green grass in Grünheide provides a contrast to the concerns surrounding Tesla's high sick leave rates at their plant. Despite the home visits aimed at boosting morale, the labor union IG Metall continues to raise questions about the workloads.
