Thread regarding Oracle Corp. layoffs

Just got a new job after being laid off, some companies are scooping up former Oracle employees. I get to compete against Oracle and their so called cloud business. Or so called joke... Oracle has very little respect and since they've laid off so many former engineers, a fantastic name among engineers. Oracle, can you say joke...

I think Oracle is a very large company and it depends on the group you are in. I got raises and bonuses initially and then nothing for several years. Just depends, but I think in general Oracle is not doing well. Those people who are currently getting raises/bonuses may find that that will dry up in the coming year or two.

It depends on your team. For example, some support teams for certain products have gone 5 years without a single raise. No matter how hard you work or how talented you are, if Oracle doesn't care about what you do, say, like helping customers succeed, then your out of luck.

My experience is that only top performers get raises and bonuses. As in the top 20%. From what I have read and experienced, other companies of all sizes do this a well. In other words you'll only get a raise if they really, really don't want you to quit. The cost of living raise has become quite rare these days.

My manager - after a one hour phone call discussing my past year - sent a mail that he 'forgot' to tell me that there's no budget for raises or bonuses. The following week he sent a mail to the entire org with congrats all around, 'lots of people got raises and most also got a bonus. Oh, and btw here are the three promotions'.

All true. A bad AND declining culture! The Three Stooges should be ashamed!

Over the course of several years, the only raises I saw in the field sales area were tied to promotions. When I asked about the situation, the explanation was that I was near cap for my position and that nobody else on the team was getting raises either. Then overall compensation started to shrink due to perks/benefits being cut and the way quotas were set with multiple gates and/or being highly dependent on "Cloud" renewal/revenue. Some of my peers even hit quota targets but didn't get their commissions paid. It seemed that Oracle was just trying to hold onto as much money as possible and that people earning a significant amount (even after the declining compensation) were willing to hold on to what they had. Until it grew bad enough and people started to leave. Then, suddenly, Oracle was willing to flash some money in front of those they would like to keep.

Regardless, in order to avoid Oracle's decline after it missed the shift to Cloud, I started to look at where else I'd like to work and identified a handful of corporations that are doing just fine with Cloud. I was shocked to get an offer 40% higher than what I was making and even more surprised when I netted a raise within the first several months at my new employer. My understanding now is that raises aren't that rare outside of Oracle.

@RVSQwy4-2ouj

Yes, sometimes it feels like it, especially when I have to clean the mess left behind by people like you. But I'm rewarded for it handsomely so no complaints here.

@RVSQwy4-1cve

Good job, I love our janitorial staff!

BTW, you should head over to stall 2 in the men's bathroom, someone let off fireworks.

In 7 years at Oracle I had 6 payrises and 6 RSU grants. Other people at the same team got neither. It's all about your performance and value you bring to company.

"Old news"

Which makes it extra shameful as it has been going on for years, if not decades.

You making the “just let me keep my job” calculation is EXACTLY what they want.

Who cares about a raise??? I just want to keep my damn job.

I quit an IC6 role in ES org recently. There were no automatic raises for cost of living, or real appraisals. I had to ask for a raise each time I felt it appropriate. It worked OK for me, but the lack of methodical processes must lead to a lot of unfairness. From my former VP it sounded chaotic with no fixed dates for them to roll up requests.

no raise in Oracle, sadly true.

my last years in Sun I got a yearly raise and I worked very hard and very proactively, almost 24x7, but I was happy and very motivated.

my first years in Oracle I worked as much hard (maybe even more, since I needed to demonstrate my value to my new boss) but no raises at all, and I started to get a little bit less motivated.

since I'm in Oracle, I got just 2 raise, one 2% (two % !!!! ) in 2015 IIRC and one 5% recently. needless to say, now I work at the minimum possible level, not even close to my productivity in Sun or early years in Oracle. if I have to give a figure, I would say I'm working now at less than 20% of my real potential.

and of course I'm actively looking for something else, but it's very difficult in my country.

and this is completely independent of appraisals, I got 5 since 2011 IIRC, and only last year I got a 3 because my manager realized I'm not totally "devoted" (exact word he used). I replied that he was totally correct, and that I will gladly accept a package. still waiting for the reply.

Everything about not getting a raise is true. Unless you get a 5 in your eval, don't even bother expecting a raise. My last raise was 2%, not even in line with the rising cost of living here. And nothing for the past 3 years.

And yes, everyday I am looking for a new job instead of spending my time working on SRs.

Yes, this is very true. But after employees figure out that they will never get raises, they just don't work as hard. Each year the productivity of each worker not getting a raise gets lower and lower. A stupid strategy on Oracle's part if you ask me. I worked for a dynamic, fast-growing company that Oracle bought. We worked hard at that company and were compensated for it each year. With Oracle, productivity has been decimated and morale crushed. I'm sure everyone spends part of each day looking for another job.

If you even just browse the oracle Glassdoor reviews for a minute or two, you will see that lack of raises is a common theme. One of the most miserly companies in the Silly Valley, that is no lie.

Old news

not just Field Sales. It's universal.

I know people who have worked there for 15 years and never got a raise.

Getting raises there is an exception all across the board and I don't think Oracle is alone in this.

Your observations are spot on, especially where demographics are concerned. Junior workers are pretty mobile, and will tend to move on to greener pastures with minimal prodding, while more tenured (aka "senior") professionals tend to be risk-averse and will stay at Oracle in spite of diminishing returns. At least, until MH cuts the cord...