In recent years, there have been many reports about the high work pressure in Tesla's Gigafactories. But what is the reality of compensation at Musk's company? A new salary overview and an announced attendance bonus program shed light on the latest developments at the Gigafactory Grünheide.

Since 2022, Tesla has been producing electric cars in Germany, and currently, around 11,800 employees are working at the Gigafactory in Grünheide. Despite this considerable workforce, there is apparently dissatisfaction regarding the salaries.

Platforms like "kununu" provide insights into the salary policies of the electric car manufacturer. Over 1,000 current or former Tesla employees have disclosed their salaries, creating an average picture of gross wages. Accordingly, production assistants earn 36,200 euros annually, skilled workers in production and logistics workers each earn 35,700 euros, logistics specialists earn 38,100 euros, and service technicians and consultants earn 43,400 euros and 44,000 euros, respectively. A retail sales representative receives 44,600 euros, while HR managers and recruiters are compensated with 57,500 euros and 58,100 euros, respectively. Quality managers and engineers earn 60,400 euros and 76,400 euros annually.

Overall, 59 percent of Tesla employees report being satisfied with their salary, resulting in a rating of 3.5 out of five stars. However, opinions vary greatly: Some appreciate the good advancement opportunities and the possibility for career changers, while others complain about poor work-life balance, long working hours, and poor management.

A recent survey on "kununu" revealed that (former) Tesla employees rate their employer an average of 3.6 out of five stars, which is slightly above the average for the automotive industry.

To further increase employee satisfaction and reduce high absenteeism, Tesla has launched a new pilot project. In a company meeting, the management announced that employees who are rarely sick would be rewarded with an attendance bonus of up to 1,000 euros. Plant manager André Thierig explained that there are people in the factory who "work tirelessly.

The pilot project initially starts with 100 employees and will be tested for a year. Employees who miss less than five percent of their working hours can receive the highest bonus of 1,000 euros. Thierig described the program as "super" and emphasized its appreciation for dedicated employees.

The program met with mixed reactions. Thierig had previously criticized the high rate of sick leave and emphasized that Tesla would not tolerate "sick leave abusers." The works council was initially skeptical but ultimately approved the program. Michaela Schmitz, the chairwoman of the works council, welcomed the program as a "great component" in terms of appreciation but expressed doubts about whether it would actually reduce the sick rate.

With this program, Tesla aims to create incentives for high attendance while simultaneously increasing appreciation for dedicated employees. Whether the program will gain widespread acceptance among the workforce remains to be seen. After one year, Tesla will evaluate the pilot project and decide whether to expand it to the entire workforce.