Thread regarding Suncor Energy Inc. layoffs

Does anyone know exactly the process ? Can someone anonymously comment from HR that was involved comment or a director? HR has to be involved to provide some data.

Was it just simply a spreadsheet with names, position title, and dollar numbers of compensation? Dollars of a lay-off included? What other criteria was used?

One thing undeniable, is there was someone responsible for making the decision for each layoff. There is someone that has to pull the trigger. Who pulls the trigger? The director, the GM/VP or someone in HR? Obviously the person at top who pulled the trigger to roll out this whole process was started by Freddy. He is the one that could have set the procedure better or created a better protocol for this layoff mess. He could have also figured out a better way to cut costs too.

I think that was just names, position titles, and dollars cost… maybe dollars to lay-off. Then there were a certain number of boxes to fill with names on an org chart. Whoever was in the high level positions on the new organization had the greatest pull for final decisions.

I was just at the bottom level but hearing Lots saying it’s who you know, not what you know. I do remember hearing Freddie mention it’s going to be “not who you know, but what you know”. Also didn’t keep to his words because this is not true. Also he said the field people and on site will be left, also not true. And didn’t he mention he came out of retirement “for the people”. He said this time it’s for the people. Also clearly he didn’t come for the people. And what else, he said “ it was a sad statement that people are worried about losing their jobs if they do the work”. Also not true, people doing their work getting the lay-off. He says stuff to make it seem like he has a character that is fair, square, and cares but clearly he has other motives like “winning” his bonus and the work set for him to pump Suncor stock from Elliot Activist Investors. It’s a sad stock pump at a sla-ghtering cost to people’s careers. For him he doesn’t care about the organization or the people, only thing that matters is “winning” his bonus and the Suncor stock price goal of $60.00.

1. I agree Suncor had a lot of redundant staff, but did we follow a process to eliminate that? My answer is NO!!
2. It was "WHO" you know and not "WHAT" you know that matters - Though Rich mentioned it the other way round earlier in his message.
3. Here in base plant all of Peter Zeb's team got key roles - many have not worked in the plant, but knows to talk big. They say in tailings a Director role was eliminated, then this Director took over a good Director's position in Mining area and the Mining director was given a lower position - Just because its WHO you know!!!!
4. Peter Z or any other ELT have not words to comment, when asked about plans for Fort McMurray, except a comment "we stand steadfast with our support" - Definition of STEADFAST is not known
5. I hear even now none are aware of what to do at base plant, the analogy used was that "we are trying to fly while building the flight" sound wrong ,"UNSAFE" and immature

We can say all our rants, but it’s done and it doesn’t matter to Suncor’s decision makers. Rejoice because you are no longer part of toxic organization. Move on!

Previous post typo on point #4, not performance based but “position based”.Purely “Role based/position based/ job title based eliminations”.

My experience was:

1. Commuters are mysteriously protected. So if you live in Edmonton/Calgary, own your primary property there. but work at Syncrude/Suncor in Fort McMurray you are mysteriously protected regardless if you are near retirement or retirement eligible. Suncor didn’t put any priority or protection to the community of Fort McMurray in the layoffs. Site workers were laid off in the remote community that they work for, this damages the whole community of Fort McMurray.
2. Indigenous status no longer matters for any layoff. Diversification of ethnicity, or gender, also doesn’t matter. Syncrude had a 9% mandate, and Suncor on their website say they go for 5%, this didn’t matter.
3. Some New hires were hit, but retirement eligible or near retirement were also hit hard. It wasn’t always about who makes the most money though or costs the most though. Some low level people were hit. But people in high paying positions near retirement with a low rank for example (not a manger for example), were eliminated. This is a huge experience and brain drain for the company.
4. Certain job titles, positions, or roles were eliminated. If someone has a job title that is very unique and only they have it, they had a greater chance to be eliminated. Generally in these cases the lower person in a lower role got punted out regardless if they performed better than their peers or at least at the level of their peers. Purely “Role based/performance based/ job title based eliminations”, but the role was job title only, how they fit in the real life role and the job doesn’t matter. There was a “stream-lining” of job title that can be used as a legal excuse for an elimination in a role where someone is still required to fill the position.
5. The eliminations were done with very little to almost no consultation at all with the pre-org managers or directors to which the eliminations fall under. Managers were apparently not involved at all, but directors were informed. The “elimination/re-org team almost had all the power with possibly some input from the new organization”. Old organization directors may have in some cases had some negotiating power but it was mostly not negotiable, HR or people that don’t know the workers or how they fit in with each other were making the decisions with very few if any inputs at all. The inputs may have just been the numbers required to keep for positions. People from Suncor ivory tower calling shots and just trimming all teams almost blindly. It was done in a very reckless, rushed, Un calculated way. So odd ball positions were eliminated regardless if they were good performers. This caused shock through the organization to many people who knew these people in their roles.
6. Performance eliminations, although mentioned by many is a misinterpretation of the reality, there was mostly a high degree of randomness to the eliminations. The eliminations were not based on performance. I think people in the back of their minds who are still there have a back of their mind justification that they must have not been performing. This is not the case. The people who twiddle their thumbs and put their feet up at work, or go out for smokes each hour was not considered for the elimination process.
7. It was mentioned “top heavy” and “middle management heavy”, but virtually nothing at all was done for middle management, director, or GM eliminations. It was actually very rare for any eliminations at these levels. It was discussed… the bureaucratic culture of Suncor remains.
8. Instead there was a “push down” people being demoted instead rather than hitting the middle layers.
9. The lay-offs were RUSHED in the round 2 phase: round 2 and round 3 were combined into one round. And there were mistakes made in the elimination.
10. There was very little to poor criteria given.
11. The Suncor layoffs are a fail. They were rushed, recklessly laid out, no rhyme or reason, lots of shooting itself in the foot. The priority was given to the deadline, lay these people off get it done before the end of the year, no let’s just rip the band-aid off and get it done.

The way I saw it was:

1. ) it’s not a performance based but more of whom-you-know kind of thing
2. ) performance was so subjective and your rating all depends on how good you rub elbows with your boss
3. ) if you’re supporting a project based area then it depends if the project is going to push, end or pause.

My layoff I found out was purely a position or role based elimination. Just simply based on job title alone. But my job and work didn’t go away, they moved someone else into the job I did just because of job title and role.

As a former Suncor employee who work at Syncrude, I completely disagree that the layoff was performance based. Not matter how good you were at your job, the middle management such as the team leads where the one who selected who got the boot or not, if they didn’t get along with you, you were out of the job. It doesn’t matter how good you were at your job. Lots of visible minorities who were EITs got laid off too.

Inventory should be managed under the Maintenance department, not by SCM. It has to be controlled by someone who can totally understand the maintenance cycle, can balance the stock level and can confidently update the bill of materials. If Suncor is looking where to find the $$$, look at your excess and obsolete inventories! I think this unit in SCM can easily be let go.

I was a long term syncrude employee. Always had excellent reviews. I assume suncor doesn’t want to pay the syncrude salaries.

They kept Managers in SCM who dont know how to run anything more complicated than a prebuilt report out of fieldglass.

So I am puzzled, lots of people say the layoff is because of performance, but I don’t believe that is always the case. There are Other people with good performance getting laid off. There are people sitting in their offices doing nothing after the layoffs. It all depends on the people involved doing the layoff, who they pick from looking at the org chart. What is the latest number of layoffs? Is it over 2000 people laid off?

I got Laid off too from the Syncrude site now run by Suncor. Syncrude was way better in the Syncrude days, even the Exxon Mobil operatorship was better. Was asked to come back as a contractor, not sure how I feel about that.

Very poor and sick environment. Unfortunately one never knows if he/she will be released or staying even if a high performer.
Unfortunately Suncor’ org structure has ballooned a lot and re org will be painful.

I’ve heard that they are just looking for odd ball unique position titles and slashing them.

I’ve been a high performer throughout my long career with the company and was laid off. I know this because of my large annual bonuses, formal recognitions, increased responsibilities, etc…
I live in Fort McMurray and don’t fall directly under the Operations organization, so it was just a matter of time. I think I was laid off early because they figured I’d find a position quickly. Now I’m applying for companies that’ll likely be the ones getting the work when it’s outsourced. Likely the local aboriginal companies will win the contracts, so the profits support the local community.

In SCM they kept most of the managers and moved them to Individual contributor roles not sure how that makes any sense.
They let go of so many in SCM it can’t be performance based, they’ve also kept a lot of deadweight.
Since pieces of SCM were outsourced it’s hard to understand why they kept some of the people they did and why they held on to most of the managers.

For roles and jobs that were still required. Was the layoff all related to a performance check that was done by management?