Just out of curiosity. I’ve heard a million times someone mention that if a certain employee is unhappy he or she should agree with what their boss demands from them but just do the bare minimum of the required tasks.
But how many people do that in reality? Is that something that can really be implemented in everyday work?
I’ll start, I give it my best every day
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Unless you are flagrantly and repeatedly breaking the law and exposing Chevron to liability, you will not be fired. I do know one person who elected to retire after some dr-g testing irregularities.
I have never seen anyone terminated for cause at Chevron. It is extremely rare.
Do just enough to avoid getting “Terminated for Cause.”
People Do——The Board.
Anyone doing more than the minimum is foolish. Chevron has told you over the last decade that unless you're one of the blessed high pots, you're going nowhere, at least until they lay you off. Diversity candidates will advance ahead of you, as they have for the last ten years. That's my experience, it probably goes back even further than that.
If you reach too far you might go too far. Best to hide in your office.
@2xbt, “Doing the bare minimum” is getting your Key Job Responsibilities done on time and accurately. That’s exactly the expectations for the position that Chevron and it’s management is requiring of you. No more, no less. Nobody will knock you for finding more efficient ways to perform your KJR’s, but my advise is to stay in your lane. Overly zealous employees looking to show off and prove they are deserving of fast assent are only looked upon as encroaching on someone else’s job and KJR’s. Just do your job and nothing more. Do it better if you like. Maybe your supervisor or another manager will take notice and promote you at some time, if only you play your cards right. No guarantees because most supervisors and managers are focused on themselves and office politics. If you reach too far, you just might fall off the ladder, so just do the bare minimum. That’s why you have your job.
I work by the CTC model: have "Dr." in front of your name, talk a lot about my thesis work, and ignore BU people, instead doing some "research" instead. Oh, and go to a lot of outside meetings and pretend to be the best Chevron has to offer. Many people have made long careers doing all of this.
The Bare Minimum is just the beginning of what I offer. I also follow Malicious Obedience instruction; when my immediate manager makes a really costly mistake in judgment.
The days when hard work and risk taking were going to get you promoted at Chevron are long gone. Now it's high pots and diversity that gets you "promoted". I like @1rus, "They pay me just enough not to quit and I work just hard enough not to get fired." Best advice? Only work hard on things you can put on your resume, because you will be working somewhere else someday, of your choice or not. Work for your resume, not for Chevron. Unless you're one of those two special classes, Chevron's not going to give you anything back.
Those working bear minimum can expect to be paid bear minimum.
As long as my boss and coworkers thought I am super busy, I am free to do as I please. I’m busy, just not how they imagine.
Bottom line is every one has different ethics/faith/integrity, but in IMO no excuse for tanking, give it your best shot. You'll sleep better and have more respect. If don't like company, get a different job. You get a paycheck to work, not be entitled.
No I don’t do just the bare minimum. During my workday, I maximize my time to do many things….. maximum lunchtime, maximum bathroom time, maximum social networking time, etc. Of course, I get my expected workload done accurately and on time. I’m just here to please my boss. The rest of the time I spend here are mine to do as I please.
If my supervisor insists that I do X, but I know that X is not going to give reliable results, X gets my minimal effort. I use the extra time to do Y, which is what I would have done in the first place, if supervisor weren't such an overbearing twit.
Is that minimal effort? Yes, in that I barely do the thing I was told to do. No, in that I go out of my way to ensure that the work gets done correctly instead. Managing up is a skill I wish I had been taught.
There Is no slackers. They are smart-just wait till next lay off to leave the company. Those who think they are performers, always will end up doing more work, and finish work after those who left. With this attrition rate this actually happening now.
I just so what I can do. That seems fare to me.
I try and give my best everyday. I’m successful on most day but not every day. It’s a personal value instilled in me. Trying to do the bare minimum seems like an attempt to cheat and steal. Sad some people have that value. Speaks a lot of who they are and how they were raised. Maybe poor role model parents.
I like to tailor my effort to the team I am on. There is always a go-getter who wants a promotion but also a slacker or two. I stay very tight with my boss (and her boss) but I do just enough to be clearly ahead of the slackers. Bosses are always reluctant to give poor reviews, so the slackers get the average rating and I'm above average. Works like a charm! And the slackers are on the layoff list come reduction time.
They pay me just enough not to quit and I work just hard enough not to get fired.
You don't get ahead at Chevron whether you go above and beyond or whether you do the bare minimum. You decide whether a job well done is important to you or if you're fine skating by unless you're cut loose in the next transformation.