Tesla's German gigafactory is in 'total chaos' due to staff shortages, report says
- Tesla is struggling to recruit and retain enough staff at its German gigafactory, Wired reported.
- The Berlin plant is falling behind on production goals, leaving it in "total chaos," per the report.
Tesla is struggling to find and retain enough staff for its new factory in Germany, making it difficult for Elon Musk's EV maker to meet ambitious production targets, Wired reported.
One anonymous worker told the publication that the plant was in "total chaos" due to staffing issues.
"There are people who I haven't seen working for three weeks in six months. Many people are signed off sick because the motivation isn't there," the employee said. "Some people are off sick longer than they've actually worked."
The Berlin-Brandenberg factory is Tesla's first in Europe. At the official opening in March, Musk said he expected it to produce half a million cars this year, per Welt.
However, the plant is a long way from its goal of producing 5,000 vehicles a week, Wired reported, because it has only recruited 7,000 workers despite aiming for 12,000.
Tesla is advertising at least 400 roles in Berlin, including a "high-volume recruiter."
Union representatives told Wired that Tesla's recruitment and retention problems reflected the company's reputation as an unattractive employer in Germany's heavily-unionized automotive sector.
In June, IG Metall — the country's largest trade union — told Bloomberg that Tesla employees earned a fifth less than staff at rival car makers in Germany.
Tesla has sought to tackle its staffing shortages by recruiting in nearby Poland. It's even advertised in Polish, per Welt, but still demanded that workers speak German, which has proved difficult, Wired and Tabletowo reported.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.