There will be a career planning discussion followed by an attrition discussion. As a supervisor myself, I recommend you do not believe a word that is communicated. It is scripted.
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What else is new?
Yes- my boss is a liar, her boss is a bigger liar, and the VP is the worst of them all.
They had been spinning pseudo-facts, feigning ignorance, faking empathy, and deceiving us for most part of a year. They lied on Covid, they lied on pip-off, they lied about layoffs, and now they keep lying about how we’re “stronger”.
Apparently, overworked, clueless, and demoralized now qualifies as “improvement”.
They also are under the delusion that people’s feel appreciated since they haven’t been kicked to the curb, yet.
The actual feeling of management is that we’re not appreciative enough for their “hard work and sacrifices”, they haven’t been able to travel and enjoy the perks of their kingdoms. We are whiny and entitled, and expensive, and too focused on doing things right and safe.
We are not considerate with their pain, as the stock takes a toll and public sentiment grows awry as investors aren’t buying their hen greenwashing. It’s very insulting we don’t appreciate them pretending to change and care.
Managers are annoyed people don’t bounce back faster and that some can’t be terminated quicker. They are looking better forward to the next “right size” (cost cutting) opportunity.
Our bosses are liars. Entitled, selfish, and impatient liars.
@2pky+19vImoPx
Let’s pretend you are correct for a second. What happens to a “Excellent” category employee when they get placed into NI because of the nature of the forced ranking system (my running joke about the system was that we needed to hire more NSI employees to fill the bottom)? Do you think that person will be around long?
My experience at Exxon was that we pretty consistently lost the better employees rather than the ones that genuinely belonged at the bottom. Reason being the good people are much more desired, and it isn’t difficult in a interview to differentiate the two (I did recruiting and interviewing for 15 years). My Linkedin is full of VPs, CEOs and Presidents that I worked with at Exxon.
The part that I get more disgusted is that HR lie to people during recruiting. Also campus hire is another sh– show...they don’t say the true.
This is the furthest from the truth. The company can't function with only those people. Most people in the top brackets are managers /supervisors who haven't a clue what their subordinates do nor any clue on how to train them to do said job.
We only want the top 2 quintiles to stay. All of the rest are non-regrettable attrition. Higher than expected attrition simply means we will need fewer pips this year. Everyone can be replaced...especially management. But there are a FEW critical skills that are very hard to replace. XOM is at about 70k employees right now and needs to be nearer to 60k in 5 years (mainly via asset sales) . Management will begin to worry only when top 2 quintile attrition picks up, most of these are locked down with RSUs and high salaries. Top 2 quintile attrition is what triggered big salary increases in Upstream in the 2005 to 2015 timeframe.
See below- he was a manager and did this to his subordinates.
Never be honest with how you feel or let down your guard with your or any other manager. I worked with a guy who 100% would act trustworthy to people so they would spill the beans to him. Then he would run and tell.
@2ozw+19vImoPx I totally second your statement. Supervisors directly influence performance assessments of team members and anyone trying/perceived to rock the boat, challenge their authority or the system will face the heat independent of your performance. My own experience was that I was laid off because I challenged a narcissistic supervisor who was setting me up of failure. These clowns would do anything do save their skins and continue collecting their paychecks.
Direct sup controls your performance message upward. Don't think for a second they won't throw you under the bus to save their own skin.
Even with higher oil prices they are not rehiring in Spring or concerned with people leaving. They are planning to move most positions to India anyway.
Your Boss.is just another employee trying to make it like you. Y'all need to stop thinking your direct sup is your problem
A lie is easily understood.
It is emitted with a certain style.
Carbon monoxide floated in summery breeze breath.
Right in your face, or screen, or through that filthy phone hole.
But it is easy to understand.
It is not everywhere. Keep that in mind.
Move out and on.
Lol. Now this comment is just funny. The ignorance and arrogance of this on.
This is a toxic organization. Let me rephrase, more toxic than other organizations.
Key personnel already locked in long term with 7 year incentive compensation and Additional Payments Plan. No way they will give up golden handcuffs. EM will be more than competitive to hire any skills and experience needed to make up for attrition, both employees and contractors. Purge of excess non critical personnel would be best gift ever. Please throw EM in that briar patch.
Fake news.
No planned efforts to retain people or work to improve morale. Upstream is still over-bloated and cost still to high.
I’m in planning and it will be at least another year with same attrition as last to catch up.
Then the plan is to make it more like downstream, including their pay scale.
Forget the past, it is what it is.
Rumor that supervisors will compile a list of workers viewed as “significantly needed” over next 2-4 years who express a strong interest in leaving EM due to low morale. Confidential annual retention bonuses of up to 15% of salary could be offered to many. But, EM has to believe there is a high probability that you will leave otherwise. Anybody else hearing this?
My comment prior to the layoff (and my layoff, lol) a high oil price in the spring / summer will be Exxon’s worst nightmare. They are going to have to chain the office doors shut to keep people. Then tack on NREs that say “F this”, and they are going to be left with a skeleton crew of new hires (that haven’t had training in 2+ years) and managers that are incapable of the technical tasks their subordinates do. Schadenfreude is going to be delicious.
Are supervisors supposed to take any feedback from those discussions back to HR? I am happy to explain what I need from the company to see them as a good employer. ....though it is quite predictable, just like this attrition.
If you believe in something to the extent that every particle of your being
is depending on that belief -
are you not telling the truth?
Senatorially meaning:
Am I mendacious for following my best interests?
It is not a real question you ask.
It is just another answer.
So, will there be another incentive to leave? After two weeks of moving into Upstream, I was told to learn the Upstream way fast or I’m toast. The Upstream way? You mean buy into “we are family”, back stabbing BS? That’s not the way my family operates so, I’m not familiar with that type of BS. In my short time, I could write a book about lying no-good Upstream management and all the high maintenance, over paid minions. So, just smile and nod until you’re able to break free. May you land on your feet with less stress and more happiness.
Woods has decided it’s time to pat the “little people” on the head to stem negativity and told the dopes in HR to write some talking points for a required communication by all supervisors.
The bureaucracy churns on....
Man o man, looking at this stuff.
ExxonMobil needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
But it is too late for that.
One thing you can't hide - is when you're crippled inside.
Forget the outside perception.
No offense - but when has any 'boss' not been a liar?
When the whip-training is part of the boss-team building exercise - you get a chill.
Dollars for soul? I walked away from that promotion.
And expect to get PiPed because.
Just because.
@bew+19vImoPx It’s both. Management is a club and watch each other’s backs for the most part. Don’t Rh ink that they don’t have discussions about each other’s employees and bounce thoughts off each other. “Do you think Ann is gonna leave? I don’t know who I’ll give xyz project to if she does. I don’t think anyone on the team can handle that.” Other manager “I’ve noticed her body language has been off. She hasn’t been a greeting me as usual in the hall. I’ve also noticed her chatty in a secretive way with one of my negative employees. I wouldn’t trust her. Might be wise to go ahead and count her out.” Thirds discussion happen. I’ve been privy to them and is one reason I decided against climbing the ladder. Managers are the biggest backstabbers.
Huh. So is this ‘stay’ interview trying to sort out who is a flight risk? Or is it just intangible promises and fluffy words?
@aik+19vImoPx: The company is overloaded with managers, not employees, and the management does not know that (or more likely does not care).
After hitting the iceberg, the captain of the Titanic offered incentive bonuses to crew members who signed up early for their next cruise.
They’ve had higher attrition from the quote unquote best people. That what they’re scared s-less about. The lower ranked people they could care less, which is funny (and sad) because they do most of the real work anyway.
As President Reagan said in 1986, "Trust by Verify What Your Manager Says" and if the Manager communicates the script to you via phone, "Record It " so that you can compare notes with your peers.
The "scripts" will continue until the corporation makes the same return on investment(s) that they made a few years ago. You will know that Exxon's ROI has returned to baseline when the matching 401K is reinstated along with COLA and promotions.
Until then, just smile and say "I understand" when you hear the "script" from your manager and keep your resume up to date, especially if there is a rumor that your operating unit may be sold to the highest bidder along with you someday.
I’m so angry about this stuff.
You are not special to EM. EM does not care about you at all. The only concern with keeping you safe in the plant is so it doesn’t show up on the trir, prevents fines and lawsuits.
To be honest the ceo is not even cared about before they take that role and afterwards. It’s a game. Get out.
Don’t take the bait. They are lying to you so they can fire you instead of you resigning with honor. Keep your honor and resign.
Typical EM arrogance - oh, our procedures are so complicated that it’s difficult for mere mortals from other companies to comprehend and hit the ground running quickly! This lack of humility has taken the company from being at the top to being at the bottom among peers.
Yeah! Great idea. Experienced hires from other companies will bring true value to exxonmobil right? Wrong!!
The company is so full of itself with processes layered on processes that many experienced people are unable to quickly hit the ground running. Many experienced hires were the 1st to go during the first wave of PIPs last year because they are viewed as "behind their peers" for not understanding our oims system inside and out.
This is hard to believe! The job-market is flooded with people looking for jobs and if at any time the company needs people, all they have to do is advertise on job-boards and they will get gazillion applications (from laid-off employees from other companies). What’s there to be worried about? Throw money at people, they will always come. Besides, the company is overloaded with employees and the management knows that. The whole thing is an eye-wash!
@vmd+19vImoPx So, a "stay" interview right before performance assessment to keep people here until July when they blindside us with NSI saying that we are "no longer a good fit" and we "do not add value," as new hires are being "onboarded"
LOL!!! OP you rock
Talking points:
Forget what you saw us do to thousands of your co-workers. It was just a dream.
We really like YOU and you will have a very long and rewarding career at ExxonMobil...at least until the next workforce reduction.”
Now that I’ve restored your trust and engagement, go back to your cubicle and keep quiet.”
Q&A:
Q: Does this mean there will be salary increases and the company match will be restored?
A: No, and don’t ruin this uplifting interaction we’re having.
Lol