This will be the year everything at Devon changes. As oil prices drop and the stock price goes under $20 dollars - look for drastic changes in management. This will have to happen to make the shift in the stock price. New leadership from companies that have a proven record. Many retirements and new injection of top talent from OUTSIDE of Devon. The stockholders will demand it. Drilling will also be reduced and that means layoffs across the company. Expect a 20% RIF by EOY. Sorry for the bad news. We all knew it was a matter of time. More assets will also be sold off.
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IT isn't the only useless department at DVN. Why isn't anyone calling out Procurement? A bunch of uneducated morons who think they can do the job of an Engineer!
3-4 layers of supervisors in the IT department - Why? I'm just making a statement of my opinion. IT at Devon is over inflated with management for a company this size. 2016 will see more and more cuts in ALL departments including IT.
I don't think anyone is really safe right now. If prices keep going down and they stop drilling then there wont be a need for a lot of people anywhere. There is a lot of rigs going down now I think.
I wish no one had to worry
"IT is a safe bet right now. My director told me not to worry as long as I keep my head down and work hard." Even those who keep their head down and work hard are still likely to get laid off and have been laid off. What will you and others say to your director when that happens? Your useless and overpaid director is the one who has nothing to worry about.
The only thing that can save the company is IT efficiencies. That's probably the reason we are hiring. IT is a safe bet right now. My director told me not to worry as long as I keep my head down and work hard. I'm thankful I'm not in another department during layoffs. Not to sound like a dick but I do feel safer in IT.
"IT is not the reason this company will go to $hit." The bloated IT department with its three plus layers of useless and overpaid leadership is part of why the company is $hit.
You people are f'ing brain dead!!! IT is not the reason this company will go to $hit. It is the high cost production areas that can't be produced or drilled. And everyone walks around wondering why we are going down. Wake up. Maybe it is time to explore every business relationship DVN has and attempt to find lower cost alternatives. Those alternatives should employ efficiency and less management layers. Nimble companies will survive. Not the bureaucratic behemoths. They are too slow and easy to kill.
"the only way that Devon can survive in this market is through improvement in technologies." The Devon way of doing that is out with the old resources and in with the new resources. With the new resources being cheaper and from India.
I would think a lot would depend on what you are doing in IT. Not all departments are equal. What are the core technologies that will be needed to keep the lights on and how many people are needed? I think of Database technologies, core network, communications such as email and skype, data storage, drilling applications as core technologies. Some groups in IT are supporting core technologies with 2 - 3 people. There are some groups in IT that have several people upwards of 15. These groups will be asked to trim down and start having people do multiple roles for their team. This will not be a bad thing just more work with fewer people. If I was a member of one of these groups that was not core I would definitely make sure my resume was polished up. Luckily most IT jobs are not dependent on the oil industry. The business side of Devon is not nearly as forgiving. I do find it humorous that there are people calling for more IT folks to be cut when the only way that Devon can survive in this market is through improvement in technologies. That is not something you are going to get without IT.
Christmas spirit - Lord please bless everyone and may they keep their jobs.
First quarter margins will need to be better than they are. IT will take a big hit because resources in this department can scale up or down with out affecting the Business. It is an easy business decision to downsize IT. The business departments would loose efficiency that could/would affect cash flow. When it comes to cuts in personnel IT will always be the first to be considered.
I just got laid off from the IT depart. They said I was one of the lucky ones to go early. Big layoffs coming soon. Yes, even in IT you jackass. IT will be obliterated with layoffs. In fact, I hope HR cuts your ass cause there are way too many asswipes in IT that sit around not doing shit all day. I wasn't one of those and still got kicked to the curb like a red headed Chesapeake secretary. The DVN IT department is a total joke. They could cut 3/4 of the jobs and still have enough people to support the business.
bunch of shit stirrers in here
I am surprised that people do not still understand the market/employment dynamics. IT will soon be shifted to cheaper resources - that trend is already started. Senior IT leaders make north of half a million dollars - do they really care? Get real!
IT is hiring cheaper replacements from India. When will the three layers of useless and overpaid leadership in IT get laid off?
I was personally told by senior mgmt in IT that they are already operating under budget for the fiscal year. Additional layoffs won't be necessary like they will in other departments. Yes, IT is safe for the time being and still hiring and sending people to training events. It appears that they can't staff up fast enough. Your theory doesn't hold water. Maybe you are a landman shitting yourself daily waiting for the hammer to fall. Should have got a degree in information technology sucka!
Hiring means nothing. New training means nothing. Promotions mean nothing. None of these are signs or reasons to feel secure. They just keep people from bailing before they are ready to get rid of you.
IT will be hit hard again you can count on it. IT's called outsourcing. Your job is not safe and never will be at Devon. Devon doesn't retrain, they let go and hire new skill set.
IT already took a big hit back in April and more have slowly been exited. Has nothing to do with getting your job done. I was told I was the best at what my role was and I got ushered out.
IT will NOT be hit the hardest. We already took a big hit. Why the hell would we be hiring then? Dumbass. You're just jealous your are not in a safe dept. Time to hunker down and ride out the storm. Oil will be back to $80 bbl in no time.
There is NEVER such a thing as SAFE - hard work and determination will only take you so far - as long as you work for someone else you are at their mercy...
The IT department is safer than most I agree but not immune. I would hate to be in the land department going into 2016.
In these times, there will need to be a significant change in the leadership of this company. When will Devon people realize that oil is no longer $100/barrel and live in today's environment? Dave and his leadership team need to rethink their approach and get real before a buyer jumps in!
IT has become self serving and forgets their mission. IT forgets they are a service organization They just don't get it!!
The IT department won't be affected much by layoffs. We are already so lean and mean. In fact, we are hiring in our dept. As long as we are hiring I have nothing to worry about if I work hard and do what is expected. Head down determination.