Thread regarding ExxonMobil Corp. layoffs

Exxon Ban on LGBTQ Pride Flag Triggers Employee Backlash

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-22/exxon-triggers-employee-backlash-with-rainbow-pride-flag-ban

“The updated flag protocol is intended to clarify the use of the ExxonMobil branded company flag and not intended to diminish our commitment to diversity and support for employee resource groups,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, vice president of human resources, said in a statement. “We’re committed to keeping an open, honest, and inclusive workplace for all of our employees, and we’re saddened that any employee would think otherwise.”

The hypocritical layers of the ExxonMobil managment have been coming down one by one since last couples years. Another hypocritical layer has been exposed now.

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Post ID: @OP+1gnRlKen

64 replies (most recent on top)

OP laments on "hypocritical management"

@6ibt: "Give me a break. It’s all about the $, always has been. If they’re changing the rules on flags, it was some financial risk."

Look in the mirror.

If YOU have beliefs that are in conflict with the company's position, then why aren't YOU taking a stand?

Why don't YOU make a hard statement on Yammer calling for separation of the GCGV JV in Texas, since that is a matter of principal that is much more meaningful than the flag symbology? Or just leave the company effective immediately and post on LinkedIn the reason why?

Oh, is about the $, some financial risk (layoff?) to YOU? That is what is what is facing you in the mirror. By your silence, YOU are taking the same decision that is being criticized as the choice of the company and as choice of high level managers to follow the line in $ self interest.

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Post ID: @6thw+1gnRlKen

The company operates in places like Saudi and Russia where it’s illegal to be ga.y. Anybody who thinks they actually care about any minority employee is foolish, all they care about is maximizing return to shareholders. This was the same conversation during the BLM demonstrations, when BEST was mad Darren Woods didn’t come out with a strong supportive public statement…
They. Don’t. Care.
ERG’s are a BS way of pandering to the woke crowds in in order to make $ and maintain a social license.
We’re about to build a Chem plant in China… Who cares about their human rights abuses against the Uighur people for the simple fact they are Muslims? Not us! But we have ACE! We care!
We opened a huge TC in India despite their human rights abuses in Kashmir….
Give me a break. It’s all about the $, always has been. If they’re changing the rules on flags, it was some financial risk.

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Post ID: @6ibt+1gnRlKen

Jolly Roger flag.
Just look at DWs face. It fits.

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Post ID: @5wbi+1gnRlKen

I've always assumed everyone at HQ just sit floating in the cube thinking of how they can make the site folk work harder. But now I see they are really consumed with more important things like complaining about what flags are flown.

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Post ID: @5wou+1gnRlKen

Company pus you to work for them. If you don’t like it - leave. No one cares about your personal views or beliefs. This is a job. Grow the F up and leave your personal cr-p at home. I mean seriously.

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Post ID: @5cpp+1gnRlKen

Have you noticed how no other special interest group is acting this way? They were all given the same message.

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Post ID: @5bgr+1gnRlKen

Reading all these posts reminds me of a Yammer post from someone from BIL refinery commenting on the Chick fil a Yammer uproar ..went something like this...."Wow, you people in Spring dont have anything better to do, while we are trying to make some money for the corporation"

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Post ID: @4nxi+1gnRlKen

They would have to treat every group as special if they recognize one group. There could be no limit to special groups at that point.

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Post ID: @4zqp+1gnRlKen

This part of article tells a lot:

Exxon has already suffered unprecedented employee attrition in the U.S. over the past year. Globally, the company’s headcount dropped by 9,000 people, or 13%, last year as a result of layoffs, attrition and performance-related departures.
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Post ID: @3hnz+1gnRlKen

A few things getting lost in the noise:

  • - We can still fly the PRIDE ERG flag. It's much more obvious and has rainbow colors and everything.
  • - What it doesn't have is the ExxonMobil logo. It's the association of the logo and the rainbow that they objected to. That conveys company approval of PRIDE and LGBT+ employees a bit too obviously.
  • - So, haters are still going to be hit in the face by rainbow colors and the word PRIDE every morning coming to work. Our elegant and more subtle logo flag with the diagonal color splash will have to go back in the closet.
  • - We will tolerate "them" fly "their" flag, but using "our" logo would indicate that we as a company support "them". That's too much...maybe for us, maybe for some of the people with whom we do business.
  • - This is clearly a reaction to what is happening at Disney.
  • - A consultant, probably McKinsey, warned Dallas to be careful and remain "neutral" on this matter, and let Disney be a cautionary tale.
  • - We interpreted "neutral" as maintaining this clear line between "us" and "them", those we are mandated by societal pressures and federal law to tolerate.
  • - We have a pretty weak logo, just the company name spelled out in a certain font and certain color (red on a white background). We do need to protect it from misuse and make sure it looks correct when it is used. However, logos can have alternate presentations without compromising their integrity. We can choose to have a white background, and choose to have an alternate multicolor background for certain uses. We chose not to.
  • - Somebody thinks that "neutral" means being neither pro nor con on the matter of equality as a corporation. This is really what baffles me.
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Post ID: @3edb+1gnRlKen

looking at the like likes/dislikes of this thread shows volumes of the single sightedness of this company. no group should feel bad because of issues like this. for those who are naive of how dark and hyprocitical this company is.. here's your sign. if you're a person of color or any other sxual preference, you are and will always be seen as a minority in this group called exxonMobil. there will be one-offs (sell-outs) who advance.
this company was built on enslaving people and it still continues but instead of chains its paychecks.

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Post ID: @3soq+1gnRlKen

How can you be insulted by this:

ERG Logos (Acceptable to fly flag with ERG Logo)
Sometimes additional flags are flown (depending on site guidelines) either alongside or in
replacement of the ExxonMobil logo flag for a small duration of time. Flying a flag with the ERG
logos (see below) is directly related to our business and company support of our ERGs. Displaying
ERG flags / banners demonstrates company support of ERGs and employees that are members of
or participate in ERG activities. These flags can be flown during ERG signature months; e.g.
February Black History Month, March – Women’s History Month, June – PRIDE Month, etc.

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Post ID: @3dgc+1gnRlKen

A lot of my LGBTQ friends took this as a serious insult and have decided to quit Exxon. They just refuse to accept working for a company that does not support their values. All of them say that they want to work for a company that cares about their values. They are on the job market as of today. So, I suspect we will have to add another 3 to 5 thousand employees to the list of people leaving the company.

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Post ID: @3esh+1gnRlKen

Man a certain ExxonMobil employee has the site owner on speed dial. Can’t even vaguely refer to this person without having your post deleted.

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Post ID: @3iom+1gnRlKen

I’d love to see someone reference theLayoff.com from LinkedIn. I’ve not seen an XOM employee do it yet.

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Post ID: @3cni+1gnRlKen

Hey #admin - let's remove this thread as it's aginst site policy. No politics. Let's talk layoffs.

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Post ID: @2eqx+1gnRlKen

We are all California, we just do not know that yet.

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Post ID: @2nvz+1gnRlKen

@2dks+1gnRlKen: I posted about the "moral compass" comment and honestly, your summary is accurate (and said much better than I could articulate). I do not disagree with any of it. As a college grad, my intent was never to "do good" rather simply "not to do wrong" while making a living. A career was a second thought and still is, which shows in my career trajectory in comparison to peers. I've come to realize, like many colleagues among me, that the "few" which lack critical thought are driving this company into the ground and it does seem to be accelerating. Naively, the flag issue is symbolic and has solidified my position. It's not that the Company isn't the right fit, rather the current leadership is a wrong fit. Again, not attempting to start an argument, simply sharing my view, which in principle are aligned with yours.

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Post ID: @2ghz+1gnRlKen

Thank you @2dks+1gnRlKen!
Right on the money. Irrespective of anyone’s position on the flag or support for ERG, one must be delusional to reference moral stand and EM together, especially after the last 2-3 years treatment of its employees.

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Post ID: @2eds+1gnRlKen

I seriously think the divide in our thinking will ever be closed. I read about the company’s moral compass. I, for one, would never equate supporting any g.a.y activities with a good moral compass. It’s the way I was brought up, it’s my belief, and it’s the biblical beliefs I follow. It’s also the way many people see the situation. If people willing supported the activitie, people would not be snickering under their breath when g.a.y. Month is mentioned, or we are constantly visually beaten with stories of g.a.y. Colleagues during the month of June.

I do believe in treating everyone with respect as a fellow human, but I will not equally recognize or support things going against my belief. G.a.y. Parades and “marriages” fall into that category.

So it’s a flag! It does not change who you are or control anything about you. If I know you are living the g.a.y. Life, I will still gladly associate with you, ask you to come over for dinner, work with you, and have drinks with you. Flying a flag or repeating “Pride” messages across the televisions will not change my mind.

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Post ID: @2fcl+1gnRlKen

I’m starting to see what they meant by “long-term cultural fit”, or whatever they called it, in the December 2020 layoff. It was a way to get rid of certain undesirables.

This feels like another great way for the company to target certain undesirables in the next ranking cycle, or to get them to just quit and move on. Anyone with even a shred of PRIDE should leave.

Don’t be afraid to leave. There are great opportunities out there for people of every background and expertise. I’m out of that terrible company and loving it. I’ll soon to be moving to a great city with a great job, where people can express their PRIDE in whatever way they chose.

This is just another example of the company exercising their dominance over you. And another example of them testing who is a “long-term cultural fit”. Don’t stand for it and don’t subject yourself to this morally bankrupt company any longer.

GET OUT!!!

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Post ID: @2kpm+1gnRlKen

Someone a couple if comments down wrote:
“We came to this Company because we had a high moral compass and stood for what's right. It's a shame that a handful of "leaders" are running it to the ground so rapidly. “

I suggest you (and probably many others here) do a little self examination. You came to the oil and gas industry in general and this company “because we had a high moral compass.” Do you believe that or are you just high? You came to this company for a career and a paycheck. Possibly you thought any money you made could be put to good (moral) use. Maybe you thought you could hold your nose over things you did not like and then maybe you thought the company would change to meet your sensibilities due to your presence- which is self delusional arrogance . It’s this sort of self serving arrogance that it part of the rot in the company. And on that note:

It is more than a “handful “ of leaders running it into the ground. It’s the senior leadership developed throughout their career on self serving data gathering to justify the preconceived ideas of the management above them while filling the ranks below them with the same. Now that these “yes people “ are in charge, guess what, they have no ideas of their own and display marginal critical thinking skills. This system has filled itself with yes people over decades and is now devoid of leadership. But you can take comfort, these “leaders”(as you put it) have high moral compass also, just ask them. WAEM after all The rot was slow and pervasive. The rot is not with the few nor has it been rapid. But it may be accelerating…..

And to be clear, I don’t care or have any issue with the pride flag being flown on company property (or not), so do not bucket me in one camp or another because I don’t agree with you.

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Post ID: @2dks+1gnRlKen

@1izm Greetings from the person who’s supported g-y rights and marriage equality since the 90’s. I agree with you 100%. However, that’s not what’s at issue here.

What’s at issue is EM’s public posturing on an issue which, from their political donation patterns, they obviously care little about. Implementing the policies you listed isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s good business too. They can and should do it in a way that is neutral and inclusive. No need to wave a flag around. There's a lot of good employees who don’t think like we do, and we need them just like we need LGBTQ+ employees.

Leave people space to evolve on these types of issues and they’ll come around. Force change on people, and they’ll reject it every time. Moderation is a beautiful thing.

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Post ID: @2liw+1gnRlKen

Hearing the Company position made me cringe. The ERGs were established to promote and support groups that were underrepresented. The Company position is a complete contradiction to that support and screams at its emptiness and a loss of ethics / humility.
For a moment, replace this situation that PRIDE has encountered with VAST, the Veteran group. Would we tell our service members that we didn't support them? If the Company takes the same position with BEST, the Black employee group, it would be called out as racist instantly.
I appreciate that the Company has a majority of White, Straight men and women who feel that the representation of other groups "has gone too far" but if your son or daughter needs inclusion for their talents, wouldn't you be supportive?
We came to this Company because we had a high moral compass and stood for what's right. It's a shame that a handful of "leaders" are running it to the ground so rapidly.
"I told you so" doesn't help our PRIDE colleagues, but I think our leadership has shown you where they believe you belong. I pray you make the right moral choice, until then your fellow employees will support you as best as possible. Stay strong, keeping leading for generations to come!

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Post ID: @2knx+1gnRlKen

Actually quite encouraged that there was backlash. Glad that some are showing humanity as allies to fellow humans

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Post ID: @2nvo+1gnRlKen

@1lzl+1gnRlKen - I agree, I can't actually believe these clowns at the top are actually getting paid for insightful leadership like this...

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Post ID: @1ncq+1gnRlKen

Time to allocate my 401k to 100% exxonmobil stock. This is first correct thing the company has done in years. Bullish on XOM

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Post ID: @1ono+1gnRlKen

It’s as if attrition is not already high enough with PIP season upon us… alienate another 5% of the workforce

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Post ID: @1lzl+1gnRlKen

This is similar to the big controversy over the campus chick fil a....this too shall pass..

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Post ID: @1for+1gnRlKen

Wow pretty lame to see all the folks who clearly don’t understand the need for visibility & representation of minorities, and the importance of ERGs. Hello to all the white men.

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Post ID: @1dhy+1gnRlKen

I didn’t realize I had so many bigoted coworkers in a company that wants to become neutral towards it. Heads up to WIN, GOAL, BEST, you’re up next.

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Post ID: @1ask+1gnRlKen

“Exxon Ban on LGBTQ Pride Flag Triggers Employee Backlash”

Preface: I strongly support g-y rights. I also supported marriage equality before it was cool (as in, back in the 1990s).

That said, the company should maintain a neutral and inclusive working environment. Nobody flies their flag, no matter how noble the cause. Log in, do your job, log off, collect your paycheck. It really is that simple.

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Post ID: @1rec+1gnRlKen

Not marching in "the" parade... seriously? Who cares? I care more about the humidity in New Zealand!

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Post ID: @1bad+1gnRlKen

I’m all for treating everyone equally with respect to race, gender, orientation. I’ve had a spectrum of coworkers and leadership through the years that has been quite diverse. I judge them by their competence and work ethic, nothing more.
With all that, the amount of time and money we devote to advertising/promoting various groups astounds and depresses me somewhat. At times we feel like a diversity and inclusion company that dabbles in oil & gas.

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Post ID: @1xln+1gnRlKen

How is this even an issue? Why would anyone ties their personal activities to an employer? Why?

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Post ID: @1zjc+1gnRlKen

Go down the road to CVX where they welcome both PRIDE members and Allies. Open hearts, open minds, open doors. And amazingly, over a 25 year look, this hasn’t impacted their ability to win.

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Post ID: @1hls+1gnRlKen

Never been to the hq but yall office folks must not have much going on. Worry about sh-t like what flag is or isn't out front is kinda d-mb. Just do your job.

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Post ID: @1crb+1gnRlKen

They (Pride members) are threatening to not march for XOM in the parade. What’s next, they will refuse to pick the daises around campus?

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Post ID: @1erl+1gnRlKen

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