I cannot find old threads about some tips to prepare for leaving. They had things like print out a years pay stubs, and other good stuff.
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401k contributions will not come out severance check
Things you should start rat packing now, while you have access to your company’s server:
1) Download PDF copies of your payroll statements for the last 36 months or longer.
2) Download a PDF copy of the latest Chevron Retirement Plan (SPD).
3) Consider changing your 401k contribution to the 2% minimum before your last day on the job. If you don’t change it, whatever percentage you have now will also be taken from your severance check.
4) Consider whether or not to submit your Social Security statement to the Chevron Benefits Center before initiating your retirement papers. Refer to the subject on the age 65 SS offset. It’s very important to understand this. Hint: Most employees will benefit from providing their SS statement.
5) Save all your most recent final PMP documents, R&A awards, letters of recommendations, work files.
6) Delete all emails on the email server you don’t want left behind if you are to be laid off.
7) If you use your company email address as the principal email contact on LinkedIn or other social media and professional databases, change it to your personal email address.
8) Backup or copy all your company and professional phone and email contacts. Once you surrender your company phone, laptop and employee badge, everything gets wiped out by the IT department.
Thanks @2vol, I needed to read that!
I've been through more than a few of these and am still incredibly unsettled despite the fact that my work and skill sets remain excellent and current.
This will never be the Dave O'Reilly company that I experienced as an experienced hire. Times have changed, and while I understand that cold reality, I still struggle with letting go of my Chevron Way beliefs.
Back in 2005 I had full faith that colleagues, direct reports, the help desk, etc would deliver on their commitments on or before the deadline. 9 times out of 10 my normal results review confirmed correct and completed work. For the first time ever I formed an expectation that this place was different and people could be trusted. Seeing this excellence from DRs and peers drove me to establish higher personal goals, trust others, and deliver fit for purpose solutions that exceeded our business partners "phase 1" goals.
Since 2009 I've seen a slow and steady decay of the excellence to the degree that I assume nothing will be right, on-time, or even halfway completed. I've made great strides to not be pulled down by this, or allow others lackadaisical attitudes impact my own set of values, but the sad result of this is that I end up reworking other's deliverables in order for them to achieve the bare minimum of standards.
Even more concerning is that more and more we rely upon managed services to do our work, and the reality is they're really only concerned about billable hours. The work product is horrible, despite these resources being well-versed in industry and Chevron-speak.
Whether this is my concern a month from now remains unclear. I hope for the best for my colleagues and family here, and want to emphasize not to base your emotional well-being on the weakness of another person, organization, etc. Every one of us can achieve excellence regardless if it is recognized in the midst of a storm.
I exited in 2016. Leaving isn’t easy. While I was happy to leave the utterly depressing daily environment, it felt like I was leaving part of myself behind. It took me leaving to realize how ingrained the company had become in my life. How stressed out I’d made myself and those around me because of a company that may or may not want me and a process that I had no control over.
I remember trying to articulate the process to friends and family. They’d ask the most basic questions and I’d struggle to be able to explain it to someone who wasn’t involved in the process. “You’re smart, you have your degree, you’ve been there for awhile, and you’re good at what you do...why wouldn’t they keep you? Then I’d reply “Well, yeah, that’s right but my job isn’t on the new organizational chart and there’s a lot of politics involved and.... you get the idea.
I also realized how much time I had spent on things that were exclusive to CVX and didn’t amount to c-ap in an environment that’s outside of CVX. I realized that the majority of my time spent was more valuable to making another person’s metrics look good than on my own personal and professional growth. I’d like everyone to know that there is a life outside of CVX.
Maximize your Flex spending account during open enrollment. (Whenever that starts)
Don’t look back. You’re leaving a company that’s so mis-directed, it’s going to need at least two years and probably another reorg to get back on track as an oil company, if ever.
Remember this:
Your Value does not decrease
based on someone's inability or unwillingness
to see your Worth
make a good list of your email contacts and other company contacts that maybe only on your work computer. Send files (not company) that may be personal or stuff in outlook that you may need later to your home email. PRAY alot about wisdom and guidance for future. Start thinking about things your really enjoy doing, but always said "too busy or next year", and start doing them as best possible with Covid stuff. Look at work you enjoy doing or volunteer that has intangible value. Doubt you need pay stubs. My last Sev check had YTD and I also had payroll give me final stub. work out ahead of time the transition to COBRA or not. Know that all benes of payroll deduction or gone, and in my case had to organize payment auto or other for car/home insurance, health care. Yes, max as other said 401k match ahead of last day. Be thankful and look at GLASS HALF FULL and also know your oil and gas experience isn't gone either...
Throw everything away. Don’t look back. Never visit this site again.
Suggest we simply move on and realize it simply another fork in the road, remain positive and take charge of our lives as much as we can control. Realize that it may seem like a negative but perhaps there is something better coming along where we need to be and just let that happen rather than get all angry and upset and start blaming external factors. Can we allow ourselves to let go and embrace the future whatever that my be? (in Chevron or outside it) >it's much healthier to live this way.
I went in and cleaned out my office of all my personal possession and trashed over decade of papers etc of my time at Chevron. Kinda bitter sweet the campus is like a ghost town. Said good bye to all my memories and headed out into a brave new world, ready to move on with my life.
You can boost your 401k contri to get closer or totally achieve your annual max for tax purposes.
Don’t bring home any company materials. When you get called at home to help the company for free your answer should be you can’t because you have no company materials.