Long time dedicated employee, many friends at work, travelled to and lived in various places in the world for my job of 35+ years. Made it through a few of these oil related downturns over the years so I have nothing to complain about in that realm. I did a service and was compensated accordingly. On my way out I received or soon will receive, sixty weeks of pay, eleven weeks of vacation buyout (grandfathered five weeks in vacation bank and six weeks earned), RSU's vested and three weeks of pay for the rest of the month. That is not a bad jackpot when added to a seven figure lump sum retirement I just signed up for. Other than the exit process I and my family were blessed by being employed at COP. There are many people of all ages and experiences that are not employed today that were your coworkers last week. They have families, friends and others who this will affect. I hope I am considerate when making comments on this subject. I have my own opinions on people who I thought should have been cut or saved from new hires to mid career to more seasoned employees. Eventually the numbers will come out on layoff numbers.. How many young or black or Asian or white or LGBT or Women, etc. etc. I felt the COP vs Non-COP feelings quicker than race or age or any other means of identifying a person. I felt the division start for me as soon as I was called into the Conference room to meet with the HR "Expert". My ex supervisor read a few sentences from my Severance notice and got up and walked away from me toward the door. I stood up to shake his hand and by the way he almost fell/jumped into the wall you would have thought I was a Jihadist going for his throat. Workplace violence aversion training must have kicked in on him. I thought it was kind of sad but also funny that someone who I have known for over 20 years would now view me as a non employee safety concern. He was no longer in control and he now feared me. I hope he can get EAP to help out with survivor guilt. Funny how quick the power position can change so quickly in a situation like that. The Hr "Expert" was expert at pointing out all the web links to use in case I needed a question answered. Phone, check, IPad, check, Laptop, check, Credit card, check, Badge, check, Keys and anything else that might be COP's, check. "I will have to escort you to the door." Since I didn't hear this that day: I WANT TO THANK MYSELF FOR THE MANY PRODUCTIVE AND SAFE YEARS OF SERVICE I PERFORMED.
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Yes no one is concerned about when after the badge is gone. Move on and enjoy life.
EAP is Employee Assistance Program.
I will say it too, "thanks for your dedicated service and hard work." I am 58 years old, a former Conoco employee that volunteered for layoff back in 1988. I made it through all the layoffs of that time, but it finally occurred to me that I could spend the best years of my life living in Houston, New Orleans, Midland, Hobbes, or some other place I hated only to get laid off in my 50's and unable to get a new job. That is the nature of the oil business. So, my wife and I agreed to quit and have me go back to school. I did send out hundreds of resumes at the time, but there were no jobs for geophysicists anywhere. Some of the geologists got lucky and went into government work doing hydrology. That last few years of the oil boom has caused me some anxiety, as I compared my paltry earnings against what I would have been making at Conoco. However, in all I am glad I spent the last 25 years in Denver, which is something I could not have done otherwise. Congratulations to you for successfully negotiating the oil biz for such a long time. And, to those who got booted out, I will say it is a lesson learned that a corporation and co-workers care nothing for you and now you know it. Now, get back to liviing.
A reasonably positive post; I wish I could do the same but am still livid over how badly I was treated. The HR person actually Did let the door hit me on the Butt on the way out. BTW what is EAP please?
Same happened to me, but my x supervisor was always chasing women, drinking in the company car. He is lucky I never used my cell phone to document his behavior. It was easy for him to get away with it because we were in an overseas location. The ironic thing is he got me laid off. Finacially, it was a blessing, but it still was not fair. He breaks every company rule in the book, but I get canned. Great work COP, but thanks for the $$$$$.
My experience last Monday was the same. My supervisor sounded like a robot reading the severance letter. I understand there are policies, but it surely wasn't comfortable receiving phone calls from people that should be been gone that are now cleaning my office asking me what I want and don't want. I also was told by a mentor that he was told he was not allowed to write me personal reference letter. I was also told that the employees that were safe at the end of last week were told not to have any communication with people 'no longer with the company'.
I was laid off in one of the most active assets, and the assets that are not doing well or that will be divested have remained untouched. Low-performers remain untouched. People whom have had HR complaints against them- untouched. I was always told the place was political and never realized the extent until now.
Your seven figure check, your vacation bank, your wonderful experiences and all that stuff you outlined are fruits of some times that are long gone. Nobody joining today, last year or last decade can expect anything even close to what you've got. The society changed, the corporate culture changed, it's all gone. Now we have executive greed (they keep all for themselves) masked as a 'shareholder first' mantra. Nobody cares about me, him, her, you. All what the company cares for is how to fill pockets of executives, but that's masked and you will hear everyone talk about shareholders (they are clueless about what's going on and what's right or wrong - and this includes institutional investors).
a trusted employee one day, the next treated like a homeless person that wandered into the executive dining room.
I am so sorry all of you are being treated so callously.
Congratulations on a long career. Some of us hadn't made it that far before we got the notice so I'm back on the market. My exit was more like checking into a jail. empty all company stuff on the desk and it's put in a manila envelope then you are locked out. No good byes.
Odd the culture at ConocoPhillips because of or in spite of the boom / bust cycle associated with oil and gas. The incestuous culture is by far the oddest components. Company -- ConocoPhillips, P66; Location -- Bartlesville, Houston; University -- KU, OSU; Family -- father, son
Note a welcoming place for individuals not a member of the "family".
WOW! Good luck to you and your family.