Tesla has become one of the biggest car companies in the world, and it owes its reputation mostly to the ingenuity of one of the richest men on the globe, Elon Musk. While many people see Musk as a gift to the world, some view him as just one of the many eccentric billionaires. But probably the best way to learn more about the Time Person of the year 2021 is by asking those who work with him: Tesla employees.
Not much is known about what goes on behind the scenes of Tesla since the employees always have to sign confidentiality agreements before their appointment is confirmed. However, some of Elon Musk's emails to his team have leaked to the media. Also, some former workers have passed a few comments about the state of things at Tesla. Putting everything together, here are some of the things Tesla employees are not allowed to do at work.
10 Use Jargon
Musk sends emails to the entire company from time to time, informing the employees about a new policy. In May 2010, he sent one with the subject line: Acronyms Seriously Suck. In the e-mail, Musk ordered that the use of jargon and acronyms had to stop immediately.
Musk believes that using any word that requires an explanation inhibits communication. In the text, he mentioned that "we don't want people to have to memorize a glossary just to function at Tesla." There might be many rules you don't like on this list, but everyone should appreciate Musk's demand for clear communication.
9 Organize A Union
The importance of unions at work cannot be overstated. Many times, workers have to communicate as one to make things better. Unfortunately, that does not include Tesla employees. Although Musk insists that he is neutral about a union, some former workers have claimed that they were fired because of their efforts to organize a union.
Supervisors shut down the conversation when they overhear production workers discussing unions. It is a bit difficult for workers to fight for their rights where there is no union, which seems to be the case at Tesla. Current workers say a culture of fear persists.
8 Ask For Employee Discounts On New Cars
Many companies offer employee discounts as an incentive to make employees use the products they promote and keep them happy. Although Tesla employers enjoy some benefits, they do not include discounts on new cars.
Said benefits include discounts on goods and services, and a financing scheme allowing them to make monthly payments for new cars. However, Musk's position is clear that sticking to a no discount policy on new cars is fundamental to Tesla's integrity, and employees are discouraged from asking for such discounts.
7 Use Yellow Markings
Musk's taste affects many things at Tesla, including the factory's safety. It is reported that Musk hates the color yellow to the extent that he doesn't want Yellow safety markings in the factory. Instead of a yellow hue, the factory has gray lane lines.
Although Tesla has denied the claim, former workers insist that there are no yellow safety markings or too many signs in the factory. It is not uncommon to see the effects of owners' tastes in companies, but enforcing policies that reduce safety is questionable.
6 Big Or Frequent Meetings? Not Allowed
Musk believes that big meetings are unnecessary, therefore, he doesn't encourage them at Tesla. In another email to the employees, Musk explained that "excessive meetings are the blight of big companies, and they always get worse over time."
Tesla employees are also not allowed to hold frequent meetings unless they are dealing with an extremely urgent matter. Time management is key at Tesla, and Musk will not allow workers to hold meetings when they should be making productions.
5 Shut down For Maintenance
Tesla might have shut down a few times, but that was solely determined by Elon Musk. The owner will not allow any part of the production line to shut down for any reason, therefore preventative measures are ignored. The result? Numerous accidents due to lack of equipment maintenance.
One former worker recounted that the lack of maintenance led to a buildup of paint on one machine. When sparks ignited the paint, the sprayer turned to a flamethrower. There are a few reasons Tesla shuts down the production line, but maintenance and accidents are not part.
4 Complain About The State Of Things
Tesla ignores potential hazards in the workplace, leading to an above-average injury rate at the company. However, workers cannot complain about potential hazards, especially when fixing the problem would require halting the production line.
Some former employees have told the media that emails and reports regarding safety were ignored by the chief of staff. Some of the hoists used to lift heavy parts were not inspected, causing many employee accidents. While employees want something better, they are advised to come up with workarounds to potential hazards.
3 Call 911
Although the employee injury rate at Tesla is above average, the staff at the in-house medical clinic need permission before calling 911. If the injury is mild, workers are sent back to the production line immediately.
But if there is a need for an ambulance, the company often drives the injured employee to the hospital using a car from Lyft. This move is to make sure that some work injuries are kept off the book, and it has been effective.
2 Ignore Strict Attendance Policy
Although Musk told the workers in a letter to Tesla employees to walk out of a meeting if they're not contributing, he once scolded an employee who missed a company meeting. The employee took a leave to attend the birth of his child, but to Musk, that was not enough reason to be away from work. Some workers have lost their job following a medical leave.
The company has a strict attendance policy, meaning employees are issued with a demerit for every absence. Turning up late, clocking off too early, taking sick days, taking time off for the family, etc., can see a worker issued with a demerit. Too many demerits can lead to a worker's employment being terminated?
1 Follow Rules And Not Logic
This is the point everything gets confusing. There are tens, if not a hundred rules that Tesla employees must follow at work, but one of them is to ignore rules. Musk expects all workers to pick common sense.
This means if a rule will cause adverse effects (not sure whether that includes injuries to workers), an employee can go for the better option. While that was directly from Musk, we don't have records of anyone breaking the rules without consequences.