The leadership doesn’t even try to hide that they are trying to eliminate older employees and then move their jobs to other countries. Those are the very people that gave everything to this company and were there in some tough times. I don't even want to mention that an irreplaceable quantity of knowledge is being let out the door.
I don’t want to get into the debate about the ruthlessness of corporate America. We all felt that on our skin one time or another. My point is that this company is shooting itself in the foot. It is obvious that, by seeing these practices, no serious employee under 40 is going to see this company as a permanent solution. I believe that, if this continues, attrition levels will spike
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They show nothing but disdain towards employees. I was in a monthly meeting and a VP was asked if he had to do all the CareerConnect garbage. He dodged the question but his disdain for being asked was on full display. What a chump. He has an awful beard to boot. It looks so bad I always think he must have acne scars or something he is trying to hide or he would ashamed the awful thing off.
It is difficult and depressing to see so many friends and colleagues over 40 who played the EM rankkng game with fervor only to be left stranded without significant marketable skills. Ironically, the people who ignored that BS and kept their noses to the grindstone in their areas "lost" at the ranking game, but, are now highly valued both inside and outside of the Company due to their true high value. Funny how things turn out sometimes.
There was a time when this company would not PIP an undeserving employee until they are 60 years old (of course there were exceptions, but it was less likely until now). At 60 you have full retirement, and could usually work another 5 years or so as a contractor to get you up to medicare and full social security age. Being cut when you are 45-50 years old is a big blow and turns families upside down. No real pension, no medical insurance, etc. The older you are, the harder to get rehired. Once you are 40-50 years old with gray hair or other signs of aging, and 20-30 years on a resume, any hiring company can guess that you are an "older" employee and more likely to pass on you for a younger hire, unless you get lucky and have some rare expertise that's in demand. I don't know too many of those kind.
The key for management is to target those 40-50 years old. It's done by offsetting with getting rid of new hires (less than 3-5 years service). Then they can claim there's no age discrimination. This is why the company continues to hire new hires when things are bad. There needs to be enough to offset the older employees that are targeted to be cut once they become "too expensive." Expensive = more entitled vacation days, medical conditions that come with age that might require time off, possible disability that makes an employee slower, time off for taking care of kids or parents, etc. Discrimination has not gone away. Lawyers and HR have just gotten more creative in ways to disguise it. And this is why HR gives a script for supervisors to read from. There is no such thing as a discussion.
You are correct. Anyone in their 50s should think long and hard about what 60 and unemployed looks like because that is their future
Technical people at higher CLs have always been ranked poorly, because they are competing with supervisors and young managers, who of course have to be made to look good. That was always the deal, but those technical people were never pushed out, because somebody had to do the work. Today the deal is off and those experienced technical people are pushed out, because supposedly those with 10-15 years of service can perform just the same (with minimal training for years!). Not only that it doesn’t work, but younger people are figuring out the new rules and only the losers or the deluded will keep hanging on, only to be thrown out around age 50. This is a very different situation from anything in the past; back then, if you survived the occasional layoffs, you could count on a full pension.
Funny. I think the same way about all the damn aggies we hire from Texas A&M. Just look at the id–t we promoted to CEO.
@luf is spot on. The older people get busted down on the rankings after they achieved their potential. It makes room for the younger up and comers. It's a d–b system, but, it's a system. Howevet, no one over 50 still around complains about their lifestyle or stock portfolios. I don't think its changing much any time soon. If you get run off, it's not personal. Exxon has always been concerned about long term fit. Not much you could have done about it. Take your money and move on.
KLTC engineer here. Seeing what happened globally, I won't stay in this company for long term. Many engineers here think the same as well.
Liquidate all the zuckers and non productive workers from Ohio State, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Anna U, Pune U, ICT, Illinois, Missisippi State etc. who are incapable of intelligent and useful work. These truckers (tr =s) spend all their time nodding yes to toxic big bosses while desperately holding onto their lowly management positions.
Keep the rest, company may improve.
The horror stories of the old timers are true, but they completely miss the point. To be tough and nasty when that was the standard is one thing, to cut the tree limb on which you’re sitting is another. I don’t think that even DW and his corporate cohorts are that st—dbut they’re doing it anyway - liquidating everybody with 20+ years of service - because they care only about the short term and their rewards.
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“All the talk below - "it's always been this way" - is simply untrue.”
How would you know? Think working for LR oil & gas was fun or fulfilling? No one below VP level was even allowed to speak to him. Or his henchman, who was even worse? Ever been told your next paycheck will be delivered to xx and you have one week to get there? Have to get out a map to find the little town? Lousy schools, no hospital, etc.? Relocated every 18 months. Driving old beat up company cars. Working overseas with practically no support system. Worked under old field superintendents that had no use for engineers. Had bosses whose usual response to any problem was “toughen up, if you can’t handle it I will find someone who can”. Been there have you?
Exxon has always had a proud reputation for having the most ruthless bosses in the industry. Always. Mobil had their share too. Anyone with less than 25 years has no idea how bad the old days were for many. I’ve seen both and despite everyone feeling sorry for themselves today, it’s no worse than always, and better in many ways. And despite the hard times, there were few complaints. Didn’t need a ranking system to let you go. Just said you are done. Saw it many times.
Tracy G, are you listening as the VP of HR, we, your people are telling you that we are being treated poorly by you, your peers, and Woods gang. Will you now wake up and do you job well, which is to take care of your hardworking employees. This ain't government and that attitude is not to be used here in a commercial company.
All the talk below - "it's always been this way" - is simply untrue.
Steady degradation of quality of the company in past decade.
It is no longer an engineering and science company.
It is a commodity company. Visibly end-of-life commodities at that.
That is understood by the investment community for several years now.
It needs to be understood by current and potential employee community as well.
What the company is doing has nothing to do with employees or long term survival of the corporation. It is all about the short term, meaning from now until Woods is forced to retire in 2027 or possibly sooner. The plan is to get the stock price up and keep it there, maintain and grow the dividend, so that the current CEO, Board, presidents, SVP, VP and a select few top 10% can get their RSU, bonuses and salary increases, keep themselves in POWER and retire with a boat load of MONEY. How are they going to accomplish this, get rid of as many high priced employees as possible, little to no growth CAPEX, cut OPEX to the bare bone and then cut some more, divest assets, and keep hacking away at benefits like pension and retiree health care and 401k match. The top 10% are narrcistic sociopaths and they could care less about us the employee, it is all about their own MONEY and POWER. It not about saving the planet, going green, getting fuel to third world countries, blah, blah, blah. All propaganda to divert you from their mission which is to ensure they continue to stay wealthy and get even richer. Woods thought the Lean In strategy would get him there, it failed miserably. Now w are in the Cut It All Down strategy. That is why our slogans are so cr-p, there is absolutely no energy their from Management to motivate the employee. It is all about me, not thee. Remember, Woods net worth in 2020 was $80 million and he got a salary raise, bonus, RSU, and massive pension benefits. Must be $100M by YE 2021.
The pension amf retiree health care will be gone by 4Q21 and only those 40 and older will be grandfathered. You have been warned, choose wisely.
EM has been dumping employees approaching early retirement age into the bottom of the rank list for years and years, especially those in mid-management, and essentially pushing them out the door. It stinks, but that’s the cost to stay with the company long term. You have to decide if the excellent salary, benefits and other goodies are worth it. Even being kicked out at age 55, most boomers would probably say it was worth the ride back when. Don’t know about now. Whether it was pressure to take an expat assignment, a lateral job transfer, an undesirable location, surviving numerous downturns or whatever this has always been a tough business. Always. It’s not for everyone.
Young employees would be wise to take note of how they will be treated once they get older. The pension may sound nice but look at how many people actually get to work as long as they want to and aren’t forced to retire early.