• In addition to continuing to offer traditional health benefits, Ford is adding a more holistic approach focused on individual well-being and flexibility for its U.S. salaried employees
• Added well-being benefits include New Parent Days, paid time off for fathers and adoptive parents, and up to 10 weeks’ maternity leave; a new campus is being built to support employee wellness, and a Wellbeing + Wanderlust @Ford event this Friday is intended to jump-start employees’ interest in their overall health
• Nearly 80 percent of American adults believe mindfulness matters, that it isn’t just a fad – according to Ford’s 2016 Trend Report

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 27, 2017 – Ford is helping to make employee lives better by providing new families more time to develop crucial bonds, designing a new Dearborn campus to support worker wellness, and offering a Wellbeing + Wanderlust @Ford event to build excitement amongst employees about focusing on their health.

As part of the new approach to achieving well-being, Ford is initiating a New Parent Days benefit for its U.S. salaried employees. New Parent Days include 10 days of flexible paid leave for fathers and adoptive parents that can be taken anytime during the first year following the birth or adoption of a child. Mothers recovering from birth can also take the additional 10 days anytime in the first year, or add it to their maternity leave, for up to 10 paid weeks off.

“We are tipping the scales in favor of more flexibility, giving parents a better opportunity to secure the bonds that are so essential to a child’s future well-being,” said Kiersten Robinson, executive director, Ford human resources, global markets. “We believe helping employees live healthier lives and reducing stress will go a long way toward ensuring better personal and professional productivity, while improving the fitness of the company overall.”

In addition to continuing to offer traditional health benefits, Ford is shifting to a more holistic approach focused on individual well-being. The company will continue to offer traditional health benefits as part of a comprehensive approach that aims to ensure opportunities for employees to find not only professional fulfilment, social inclusion and financial stability, but also to achieve a balance of physical, mental and emotional health.

Promoting well-being in the workplace is not just a company priority – it’s what people want. Nearly 80 percent of American adults believe mindfulness matters, that it’s not just a fad, while 58 percent say they consciously try to disconnect from their devices to improve their well-being, according to Ford’s 2016 Trend Report. Bettering individual well-being and improving company fitness go hand-in-hand.

Ford’s Dearborn campus transformation is playing a significant role in the company’s enhanced approach to employee well-being. The 10-year project includes redesigned office space with a focus on wellness, collaboration and sustainability. Treadmill desks and ergonomically designed workstations aim to promote movement, while wellness and reflection rooms for prayer and meditation encourage employees to take breaks to recharge. Even the landscapes around Ford World Headquarters will undergo massive renovation – becoming more eco-friendly and sustainable while creating a more walkable campus.

To jump-start employee interest in their overall health, and to demonstrate its commitment to employee well-being, Ford is teaming with Wanderlust, a leader in the mindful movement, for a Wellbeing + Wanderlust @Ford event this Friday at Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. Hundreds of employees have already registered to participate in mindfulness activities throughout the day, including yoga on the lawn, meditation, coloring tables and an oxygen bar.

Several Ford partners in the initiative will be on hand to provide tips to reduce stress and improve overall health. According to the clinical advocacy group Health Advocate, stress-related illnesses can cost a business between $200 and $300 billion a year in lost productivity.