Thread regarding ConocoPhillips layoffs

Supervisors ratings should be linked to their teams rating of them. This helps to minimize the top-down structure since now managements VCIP is partially driven by how their team sees them as an effective leader. It would shake out the poor managers and supervisors.

HR run by an accountant.

Another big one is the top down only forced ranking performance review system. Issues with employees, supervisors, and managers that can only be seen looking sideways or up are missed looking down. This has resulted in many supervisors that are awful to work for but are good at managing up. And a proliferation of dishonesty when presenting results up.

And forced rankings are an issue when after four rounds of cuts the only people left are high performers. Good people are given 3/4 rankings when almost everyone is doing 1/2 work after getting rid of a lot of the dead weight.

Instituting mandatory 360 reviews or some other system would help make a lot of issues visible.

I left for a better opportunity elsewhere. Others in my department they didn’t leave when I did were waiting on the economy to improve / opportunities to become available elsewhere and many have accepted offers elsewhere. Some have been fortunate to achieve success on their own on a contract consultant basis. This was otherwise a great company. Very painful experience in the end.

We reward results rather than value creation.

Exploration, Projects, Assets, Safety, Planning, Finance, they’re all poisoned because of this. It incentivizes keeping useless kingdoms.

Unless you have a sponsor high up in the company, you’re opportunities are very limited. Plus we don’t have much variety in our business, Permian, EF, and Bakeen are all the same. So most people do the same job just in a different location. I think it’s the same at other companies as well, so if they will pay you more money to do the same work - who wouldn’t go. If you’re making sandwiches at Subway for $100k and Firehouse offers you $120k, why not take the money and run.

Toxic culture, period. I made my money and now I live a nice retired life.

I feel bad for COP, it has gone downhill since I started there.

The company actually trained me to be a world class expert in my field, then accepted my EOI. I told my supervisor I’d stay with a promotion. I’m now doing better elsewhere.

-1oaj is spot on. If I were going to add anything, it’s the corruption and hypocrisy of so many of the managers.

It’s quite simple actually.

1. Conocophillips handled the downturn extremely horrible and employees saw that. Literally non-stop fear and anxiety for many many folks.

2. Conocophillips is engulfed in internal politics, bureaucracy, and corporate red tape where employees almost can’t even do their jobs.

3. Times are good right now so the talented can go anywhere and other companies know that. They poach people that are good and ConocoPhillips doesn’t really care so they lose great people. The retention rate in certain departments (such as Land) is horrible. But the boss literally does not care lol.

4. Conocophillips is well known and has long been known as a company that provides you the training you need to go elsewhere lol. Sad but 100% true.

5. They are in a serous need of mgmt cleanse but it’ll never happen and employees know that. So the company, while they may continue to perform decent financially, will have mgmt that s---s and that drives people away.

I’m sure I missed some other points but I’m my time their that is what I came to realize. And I was there a while. I will say also that I have no ill will towards the company. They gave me a job and provided food on the table for years. I also gained a lot of valuable experience while there so for that I will always be grateful. But it doesn’t change the overlying facts of what is wrong with the company. The problem is, they really don’t care. My post will never make a difference up there so it’s basically pointless. But that is the answer to the question(s). Cheers 🍻

What I have seen in the ones that have quit recently.

1. Better money

2. Better situation, family

3. General dissatisfaction with environment/layoffs , working relationships

4. Change of field of pursuit/Back to University