Thread regarding Chevron Corp. layoffs

Thousands more in jeopardy—individual excellence can't offset systemic strategic failure

Over the past decade, our company's Total Shareholder Return (TSR) has suffered a sustained decline, putting us behind our competitors. Key transactions, such as the HESS deal, remain unresolved after two years, and mounting legal challenges across multiple fronts are eroding our strategic position. We're losing leverage in global markets, and our asset portfolio is alarmingly concentrated—NPV is heavily weighted in S&T in a single geographic location. 

Instead of investing in sustainable, organic growth, we've leaned excessively on M&A, a costlier and less reliable strategy. The result is a company vulnerable to shocks and devoid of long-term vision.

The most recent operational model redesign represents the largest restructure in 25 years. While marketed as a global effort, it disproportionately impacts U.S. employees—closer to 30–40% in reductions—due to our inability to restructure in locations governed by external labor agreements. Something that leadership conveniently sidesteps in messaging.

This situation is not simply the product of tough market conditions. It is a direct consequence of persistent strategic missteps and ineffective leadership. Our executive team has demonstrated a failure to adapt, innovate, and safeguard the cultural and operational foundations that once made this company thrive. (MW has proven his poor strategic mindset, MN has denigrated the company culture, EB panics in her helpless incompetence, LL running around like an enthusiastic puppy that has no idea what is going on and completely unable to "read a room" - especially internally within Chevron.)

Many of us joined Chevron because we believed in the leadership, the boldness of our strategy, and the strength of our technical vision. That legacy is now at risk. The individuals steering this company are out of step with the challenges we face, and the solutions they offer are recycled versions of the frameworks that created these issues.

It is imperative the Board of Directors take decisive action to ensure accountability, restore confidence, and implement leadership change at the highest level. Without this intervention, the livelihoods of thousands are in jeopardy—no amount of individual excellence can offset systemic strategic failure.

While we frequently emphasize our obligations to shareholders, we must not overlook the trust placed by over 40,000 employees worldwide. These individuals have committed their careers—and entrusted the futures of their families—to Chevron. Our dedication and contributions are the foundation of our company’s success, yet the current strategic misdirection puts our livelihoods in jeopardy.

This is not just a financial crisis—it’s a crisis of confidence, culture, and responsibility. We are accountable not only to investors but to the people whose daily efforts power our operations and uphold our values. Ignoring that reality is not just poor leadership—it’s a fundamental failure to honor the social contract at the heart of this company.

We owe it to ourselves, our families, and the integrity of this institution to demand better. Employees need to have a louder voice.

by
| 3412 views | | 15 replies (last July 19) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1jzwz92a1

15 replies (most recent on top)

@kz

" absolute free fall on the stock price"

I don't see that: the stock has been trading between 135-40 to 170-185 for 3 years

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @1f0+1jzwz92a1

@kz NO, no HR, no nerve, just useless chevroids thinking that they are all better than others and even their comments are all flawless, and it's always someone else's fault. Nothing's changed. But don't dare look into the mirror. You might discover what the problem with Chevron is.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @t6+1jzwz92a1

That the BOD has allowed this to happen is a crime. Higher returns, lower carbon, business units just disappearing, absolute free fall on the stock price, essentially becoming an independent chasing well productivity in West Texas, unfreaking believable. No vision. No ideas. Follow the rest of the pack. Sad.
It takes courage, skill, vision and grit to build something big. We do not have any of those things anymore. Stop listening to private equity and BCG. Listen to folks that have been successful in this business. Stop worrying about carbon. Focus on energy and where folks need it.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @qh+1jzwz92a1

OP is spot on. I note all the HR downvotes, as they suggest that the discussion has struck a nerve. When I joined Chevron 25 years ago, we all recognized that the company's foundation was built on communities of practice that supported individual specialists working within business units. Unfortunately, that focus has diminished over the last decade, replaced by an emphasis on top-down management hierarchies and short-term risk avoidance. This shift prioritizes short-term shareholder returns—such as dividend payments and stock buybacks—over investing in forward-looking exploration and enhanced development programs.

The consequences of this approach are predictable. As we face the reality of needing to burn the deck boards just to move forward, it’s clear where we are headed. The anticipated rapid decline of the Permian Basin and the stagnation in our legacy conventional assets indicate a troubling direction. Mergers and acquisitions may seem like a path forward for companies that can develop assets more efficiently than those they acquire; however, this has never been the model for major oil companies. Typically, they excel in high-risk, high-capital, high-reward endeavors compared to smaller firms.

MW's low-risk, fail-fast (agile) M&A-focused strategy has never proven successful for major oil companies. Unfortunately, the recent layoffs have eroded our core competency to change course effectively. Building communities of practice across all specialties and throughout the organization is a slow process. Each generation must learn from its predecessors, applying, adapting, and building on that knowledge to make informed decisions today. This cannot be replaced by individual practitioners working in isolation within sprint groups or by hiring short-term external consultants.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @kz+1jzwz92a1

is CVX positioning for a buyer?

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @f7+1jzwz92a1

@ca who cares…fyi chat gpt still requires data input. This OP is spot on. So spot on that it looks like the Chevron bots got to it! Dead give away this hit a nerve for Chevron leadership

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @et+1jzwz92a1

Not wasting my time with this monologue clearly written by ChatGPT. Hint: The excessive double dashes are a dead giveaway

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @ca+1jzwz92a1

I worked for EB. She sc--wed me over. Also a very incapable individual.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @bw+1jzwz92a1

At the end of the day, we work for ourselves, family, and our retirement. CVX is simply a means to that end. It is a shame that it is now just a shell of what it used to be in terms of business and culture.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @af+1jzwz92a1

The only way for us to get rid of the ELT made up of losers is to lose HESS.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @ab+1jzwz92a1

@a6 to be fair…I think the point of the OP is that our leadership is incapable of doing this in a meaningful way. Bringing in consultants is probably the closest they are going to get to getting it right. The problem that I’ve witnessed is that they ignore the recommendations of the consultants and use them to just do the busy work of implementing their wishes.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @aa+1jzwz92a1

@a3 All of the LTs should be mortified consultants were brought in to reorganize. If our leaders are so smart, they should be able to manage change. It’s no coincidence that those who made decisions that got us here are either “retired”, or in a position to attempt to clean up this mess.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a6+1jzwz92a1

Telling it how it is. It's not new though, Gorgon, FGP are older examples of how hopeless our leaders are, and how they are unable to change and demand accountability from the higher levels of leaders. It's rare to find a Chevron leader that is interested in details and execution, it's all pomp and bullsh-t, that's what needs to change, this re-org will make it worse because we are shedding some of the very best people, and for some reason we are talking to outside consultants and don't know sh-t.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a3+1jzwz92a1

I am glad there are people with the company who can think like the OP

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a2+1jzwz92a1

@OP well our voices used to matter. CES scores used to be valued.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a1+1jzwz92a1

Post a reply

: