It certainly isn't there to help employees. In my experience, which has recently been confirmed, they will always take the manager's side and try to sweep the issue under the rug. And the one person who I know persisted ended up being forced out in the next round of layoffs. No matter what happens, we don't have anybody to turn to. That's the SLB way.
15 replies (most recent on top)
HR's function has always been to protect the company. How have you made it through your career without figuring this out?
It just a job, and the goal is taking as much benefit and salary before u get laid
Many interesting points of view on this thread. I am going to add comment, and will disclose that I'm former SLB HR (US). Maybe I'm lucky to say "former".
- Good HR is looking out for the company, and believe it or not that includes advocating for employees. Chronically p-ss-d off employees don't make for a good company. However that doesn't mean just telling them what they want to hear. I'm a straight shooter, and was respected for being that way.
- All employee complaints should be viewed seriously and thoroughly investigated. Internal investigations are like a stroll in the forest, you shouldn't assume where the path will take you.
- I've recommended the discipline or termination of managers based on investigational findings, and sometimes my recommendation was acted on. And sometimes it was ignored because the manager had friends in high places. Either way my findings and recommendations were documente and reside with Legal. I sleep well at night knowing that I dealt fairly with everyone.
- The EEOC decides which complaints will be elevated to charges and further investigation. Complaints could also be made to the state Workforce Commission, Dept of Labor, or whatever it's called in your work state. While states typically look at wage and hour claims, they also look at discrimination claims since many states have labor laws that offer discrimination protections. Not to dissuade anyone from contacting EEOC, but it's a federal agency and you may get a faster response from the state. And there's nothing to say that you can't complain to both.
- I partially agree with the comment that HR has permitted a culture of abuse. I view it as more "has failed to address a culture of abuse". In certain areas there are weak or new HR facing entrenched, old school, good old boy managers who run things the old sh–ty oilfield way. Unfortunately not enough of those managers have been cut loose or retired. HR is not strong with training new HR Reps, etc with how to deal with those kinds if managers. The HR training program spends too much time on nonHR information which is useful to a point... but there's too much of a deep dive into irrelevant topics. Worst part is the time wasted on technical topics like watching 2 - 3 hour videos, followed by quizzes, on subjects like geological formations, physical properties of o&g, etc! At one point I thought they hired me to be a Petrophysicist. It's mind blowing how much useless c-ap is in the HR Keystone program.
- Expanding on #4, there was a notable shift in the HR function's approach to employees when a bean counter from Finance became the head of HR (in the US). Since then, employees have been treated like assets rather than people. And not in the "Employees are our most valuable asset" kind of way. But rather "How can we get the most out of this person at the least cost?" And around that time the HR function slowly started outsourcing itself (at least for NAM) to Bogota. Also, people with zero HR kowledge or experience have been moved from Field Ops or Engineering to HR Manager roles in efforts to save them because they are female, minority or whatever that's not a white male.
- HR's approach (at least in the US) is to not g.a.f. about anything outside of Houston/Sugarland (sometimes they throw Midland a bone). For sure, if you're not based in TX, YOU DON'T MATTER! You may as well not exist. And I'm not saying your local HR doesn't care... it's actually that they no support because Corporate HR does not care. Also review above on weak and inexperienced HR.
I wish justice to be fairly served in the class action cases and all pending EEOC charges. And I wish good luck and prosperity for those who choose to continue their journey, as well as those who have parted ways, with SLB.
@3ghg+18gtkgE4 This is one of the “protected right” of yours to report to EEOC. If they fire just by mentioning EEOC, your are protected and SLB’s penalties increase multi fold. Do a Google search you will find this.
So don’t worry about it unfortunately majority of the slb HR people are highly inexperienced not knowledgeable about the USA employment laws. However it’s not your fault. So stay secure. Nothing will happen to you.
Just go ahead and report. If possible maintain a paper or email trail. That’s enough.
Guys if you see anything against you or anybody file charges with EEOC. This is a federal agency mandated by law and Supreme Court to enforce law in the employment related matters.
This is confidential and complete free. You don’t have to hire an attorney.
Do tour part and let them take care of it for you.
Good luck.
I would bet that there are few if any documented cases where HR has reviewed an employee complaint against their boss and found that the complaint was valid. And even fewer where the boss was demoted or reprimanded.
"The mission of HR is not to help employees. The mission of HR is to protect the company. "
This is where most HRs are failing. Define a Company. Employees are part of the company. They are equal stakeholders as the HR themselves too. If your tooth aches it's still part of your body until it falls off. You can't ignore the pain saying "it is going fall off one day anyway". Soon you will lose them all.
""HR exists to protect the company, not the employees."
Truer words have NEVER been written.
Perhaps if HR had done its job, and taken the employee's concerns seriously, the young lady would NOT be suing the "pants off of" (no pun intended) Schlumberger.
As it is, an employee who complains IS automatically targeted for some form of retaliation, as HR is part of 'management', they sit at the same table, and dine off the fruits of our labor, side by side with the very management they pretend to protect us from.
What kind of question is that?
Let me explain to you as if you were a 2 year old - Repeat with me:
"HR exists to protect the company, not the employees."
Say that a hundred times and you will be cured.
Guys let’s take those HR people and their managers to task. How long it take? Just entangle them in their own game. Think smart. You will find tons of avenues.
The only two roles of HR are to protect the company and management - that is all. Be very careful of saying anything to that bunch of hyenas because it will be thrown back at you x 10. Also be wary that they will rewrite the rules on the hoof and continuously change the finish line. HR is not your friend. You have been warned. 38
Exactly. I don’t know why SLB doesn’t hire a firm like Paycom to do all their HR stuff.
The mission of HR is not to help employees. The mission of HR is to protect the company. If you believe otherwise you’re a fool.
And we can endlessly debate how effective they are or are not at their mission
Guys, the rule of thumb is always trust but verify. When you observe that kind of activity, then you know that u have to cover your a$$. In order to do that, take a back up of all your communications. Follow as much documented route as possible. All these documents will eventually become your biggest savior. Never ever ignore the law of the land.
As you must have seen mighty and wealthy have landed up in jail and paired significant mealtimes. SLB is a very small fish. It can not escape.
Good luck.
Hence why SLB has a stack of lawsuits against them right now to the tune of 100 million dollars. Well run, ethical companies don’t have this problem. SLB does because it’s a poorly run, unethical company. HR is the business unit that has allowed this culture of abuse at SLB to thrive.