#culture

I’m spending more time trying to figure out how to turn features off that were automatically changed on my Outlook. Then I am actually working because everything is so inefficient and such a pain in the @… but I can’t even turn these features off because they come right back! I hate this. I’m absolutely confident and comfortable with change, but this is just unnecessary unproductive and unwanted.

If they’re gonna put this on our computers, then they need to give us the access to make the changes we prefer in regards to Settings. I’m tired of opening up emails just to have to close out a bunch of automatic Outlook calendar invites that don’t make any sense and we’re not requested or needed!

GIVE US ACCESS TO MANAGE OUR OWN SETTINGS SO WE CAN BE PRODUCTIVE AND TURN OFF THESE DISTRACTIONS AND ANNOYANCES!!!

Goes to Enrique Lores

I just started my "required" Business Practice Review training online, and just barely got through the Darren Woods opening video about ethics.
As an employee with decades of time put in, yet soon to be laid off, I nearly threw up in my mouth.
What a joke.

Everyone staring at their Outlook like…
⊙_⊙

I love this company. I came here from a completely different industry 5 years ago. I was drawn by the owner’s story in a Harvard Business Review article. I still think it’s a great company, on the balance. What I wish the leaders would understand is that AI is an amplifier. If you feed it noise (e.g. “bad” data, unclear business logic / rules), it will amplify chaos. If you feed it good stuff like a piece of beautifully crafted music (e.g. well designed process with “good” data and clear rules), it can turn it into concert. How do you get the “good” stuff? Through your SMEs, through SMEs working closely together, TRUSTING each other, by respectfully challenging each other. It’s hard work. There’s no switch, no buttons you can press. You won’t get there by trusting outsiders, trusting people who agree with you at all times, trusting copilot AI slop, that’s how organizations walk off a cliff. It’s the same old boring things. Cleaner diet, exercise, good habits that determine good health outcomes. Don’t be tempted by the weight loss pills (eg GLP1), because not only are you NOT going to get what you want sustainably. There are a TON of unknown side effects that you will pay a hefty price for. Excellent output requires excellent inputs and excellent process. Right now, the market is up, and we have tolerance for trying out GLP1. What happens when the market is down? Still, I love this firm and its people, and I focus on the little I have control over. There is hope yet

Any tips on making our daily commute to Tuas more pleasant? I don’t know what to expect

The SIU townhall, which was already reduced from monthly to quarterly, was just canceled today for the 8/31/2026 scheduled date. The last SIU town hall was in May and the next one is not until November. Sabrina continues to demonstrate that she refuses to face us and take accountability!!

Super Saturday

I just wanted to share a thought regarding the message. I’m sure it wasn’t intended this way, but the wording “For Those STILL Here… Have a Great Rest of the Weekend” could potentially come across as a little discouraging to those who took time out of their Saturday to participate in Super Saturday. I think a simple acknowledgment and thank-you to everyone who made the effort to be there would help people feel appreciated and recognized for their time and commitment. Everyone’s time is valuable, and even a small expression of appreciation can make a big difference in keeping people encouraged and engaged.

Do you think HR (or whoever) that makes the layoff decisions gets a bounty (bonus) for every life they ruin?

Just askin'.

The stock is soaring. You’d expect the attitude to be high energy and people to be in full support of the company. You’d expect to see new products going to market, more hiring, more bonuses, more investment in people. You’d want free thinking people who are inventing and thinking outside the box.

It’s the exact opposite. It’s dreary, dismal and there is an overall black cloud across the company. Every email seems like it could be your last. Services are taken away from you, like coffee cups (really??), promotions to the “liked” and layoffs are happening left and right. The totally incompetent are getting promoted because they’re “yes men” and people are totally unmotivated. There is no more technical leadership, there is just no leadership. Just politicians who use buzzwords and jockey for positional power.

It’s pathetic and sad to see such an opportunity to take advantage of the hype Dell is getting and motivate your people. Reward them and support them. Greed is clearly an enemy of the people and greed is rampant at Dell. Every SVP and above have proven they are soulless ghouls who would do anything for a dollar. They seem to be missing the big picture. That they’re titled and who they are doesn’t matter to anyone. Nobody cares. In fact, they’re making more enemies than friends.

It’s a sad, pathetic time at Dell and is the worst I have ever seen it. Something needs to change or this company will crash and burn. As far as layoffs go, expect them every single month until these greedy, fat ba----ds get their fill.

I just want it to be over with. The stress of waiting is one of the worst feelings. Time to leave it behind us.

The ideology in Citi Tampa is simple. Make Indians sit in director or SVP roles. Keep hiring Indians in h1b under them - promote those h1 Indians. No more h1 grace periods and no more h4 abuse whatsoever. Our governments message is crystal clear. Our kids spend 300 grand for their undergrad education and are jobless. Why give jobs away to outsiders and it’s a shame that our jobs have been taken away. No more exploitation in Citi Tampa.

Why is this site now full of questions on india? I don't care about them, the computational team, how they will support their kids schooling et. Can we focus on the west as this is what this site is about. If those lot want to discuss india, then create a Shell bangalore section and talk away.

Very excellent engineers have been laid off……
Businessmen like Sassine only know about profits and keep reducing his holdings of the company's stocks at low levels, which shows that he has no intention of bringing the company towards normal profitability and only has his own interests in mind.
As a CEO, such a person will cause the company to collapse

I endured 3 years on the core line with many promises of a role switch after my "2 year commitment" in the end it was all just a lie. Oh well.

Get your licenses, learn the ropes and get out while you can asap.

Anyone else seeing what’s happening in the UK?

Good people are leaving, particularly women, and others seem completely burnt out. Yet we still hear all the usual talk about diversity, inclusion and people being our biggest asset.

Since the leadership change, the culture feels completely different. There seems to be a leadership style being imposed that just doesn’t translate well to the UK market or the way teams here have historically operated.

More pressure, more workload, questionable appointments and everything coming back to the numbers. People can deliver what’s asked of them and still somehow be told they need to improve.

And it’s not just employees noticing the change. Some partners and customers are starting to see the disconnect too, which should be a much bigger concern for the business.

NetApp UK used to have a great reputation and culture. It’s sad watching that disappear.

How much longer is it going to take? Apparently HP has an inflated view of who should take the job than who is actually interested in it.

https://www.reuters.com/investigations/mark-zuckerberg-had-bold-plan-replace-meta-staff-with-ai-heres-how-it-imploded-2026-08-26/

"To make its workforce “AI native,” Meta explored slashing the size of many teams across the company by as much as 60% in two waves, internal documents show. Staff revolted - and hours before a big layoff in May, the CEO called off planning for further cuts."

MD on the other hand, obviously doesn't care. Yay! (:D)

It appears that the UK hub is being replaced by India and it being made a main technical hub. I guess we did train our own replacements.

In a tough environment, your colleagues can really make a difference. With all of the rapid fire changes, collaborative, experienced and, sure, funny colleagues are what helps the most.

I think it’s about time to employ these “small” business losers and run it like a real insurance company

For the surviving “CenTeamers,” Gallup has some encouraging news. About 1 in 10 people has the natural talent to be a great manager.

Unfortunately, companies pick the wrong person for management 82% of the time.

Even better, managers account for at least 70% of the difference in employee engagement between business units.

Gallup also points out that companies often promote people because they were good at their old job, had been around long enough, or seemingly “deserved it.” None of which means they can actually manage people.

My favorite finding: statistically, there is/was probably someone on your team with the talent to be a great manager. There’s also a pretty good chance it isn’t/wasn’t your manager.

Source: https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231593/why-great-managers-rare.aspx

But don’t worry, CenTeamers. The next Pulse Survey should get to the bottom of this!

London Calling, Sarah. Gallup says companies pick the wrong person for management 82% of the time. Centene seems to have solved that problem by promoting them and laying off the other 18%.

#SimplifySarah

Tim Cook steps down as Apple, $AAPL, CEO on August 31 after taking the company from ~$350 billion to over $4 trillion.

John Stankey steps down as AT&T, $T, CEO after taking the company from ~$215 billion to ~$178 billion.

Apple increased its market cap by roughly $3.65 trillion and AT&T lost roughly $37 billion.

Six years. Two CEOs. Completely different outcomes. I wonder why?

One led through massive innovation and growth. The other spent years making questionable strategic decisions resulting in failures of epic proportions, while simultaneously alienating the workforce with policies like 5x RTO, cutting costs and talent, and destroying culture and morale.

But I’m sure Stankey will find a way to explain how all of this is somehow the employees’ fault.

Get this l0ser Stankey out!

Source: M. Gray

1. Learn Storytelling

Storytelling is the highest intangible ROI skill you can learn

Sales, hiring, marketing, it's all storytelling.

Start with basic storytelling frameworks (e.g. the Hero's Journey) and the 7 fundamental emotions.

And watch how listeners turn into believers.

1. Rethink Health

Everything changed for me when I came across Symbiotic Success:

Your health directly affects achievement, even if you can't see it.

Now I prioritize meditation, lifting weights and nutrition.

Success is a game of longevity and health is your competitive moat.

1. Work Like a Lion

Society has conditioned us to work like we're cows grazing.

Low focus.
Long hours.
Minimal output.

Instead, work less, but work like a hunting lion.

Sprint. Rest. Repeat.

1. Find Your Peak Energy State

Optimal hours, environment, and work style differ for everyone.

Keep experimenting until you find your most productive state, when you don't have to fight yourself to get stuff done.

Once you find it, energy flows where your focus will be.

1. Learn to Communicate Concisely

Most people's emails and messages are full of fluff:

'Hope you're well!'
'I just wanted to ask...'
'Could we circle back on...'

Stop.

Be concise and get to the point, your value increases with the effort your readers save.

1. Be Happy for Other People's Successes

It's a positive-sum world out there; there are 22 million millionaires in the US alone.

Recognize that one person's success isn't your failure and offer genuine congratulations.

Joy for others manifests future accolades for you.

1. Be Boring

A lot of success comes from just saying no to cheap dopamine.

And instead, focusing on the mundane:

• Maximizing sleep
• Guarding time for workouts
• Not eating out in favor of your nutritious diet

Boring's the secret the successful don’t want you to know.

We do not need a stay of execution; we need certainty and security.
Leadership has lost its humanity in what was once a great company, where people genuinely came first. PayPal is no longer a company I’m proud to work for.

I would welcome the opportunity, if given the appropriate platform, to publicly and constructively critique the decisions and leadership approach that have brought us to this point. People deserve transparency, accountability, and to be treated with dignity—not uncertainty and fear.

The traditional five-day office week was sold to us for decades as some kind of sacred law of business. Executives insisted that without people physically sitting in a cubicle, collaboration would fall apart, productivity would tank, and "culture" (whatever that means) would just evaporate.

Then 2020 happened. In a matter of weeks, half the working world moved to their kitchen tables, and it turned out the whole thing was less about performance and more about control.

Here's how the forced remote work experiment kind of blew up the core myths of office culture.

1. The Productivity Mirage

The big scary warning was always: unsupervised employees will slack off. Turns out that was backwards. Multiple studies during the pandemic showed productivity held steady or even went up when people worked from home. No more open-floor-plan noise, no more soul-crushing commutes — people actually got hours of real, focused work done. Turns out showing up isn't the same thing as producing anything. Output matters, not butt-in-seat time.

2. The Collaboration Cult

Leadership loves to say innovation needs "watercooler moments" and everyone breathing the same recycled office air. And sure, in-person brainstorming has its place. But the pandemic proved you don't need five days a week of shared oxygen to collaborate well. Teams got good at async work fast — people had time to actually think before responding instead of just performing enthusiasm in a meeting room. Real connection comes from intentional communication, not a shared zip code.

3. The Real Estate Sunk-Cost Problem

When companies push hard for a full return-to-office despite everyone hating it, the stated reasons rarely add up. A lot of these orgs are locked into 10-15 year commercial leases, and an empty building is just a giant unrecoverable cost sitting on the balance sheet. So forcing people back to their desks is often less about "performance" and more about justifying an expensive real estate bet nobody wants to admit was a mistake.

4. The Illusion of Culture

"Culture" got used as a guilt trip to drag people back to their desks — like camaraderie only exists within four walls. But most people figured out pretty quick that real culture isn't free snacks and a ping pong table. It's psychological safety, respect for your time outside of work, fair pay, and people actually communicating clearly. Once the office perks got stripped away, you could see they were just distractions from bad work-life boundaries the whole time.

The Bottom Line: Outcomes Over Attendance

The whole remote work experiment showed that the five-day office mandate was more of a leftover habit than an actual business requirement. Hybrid setups are a fine middle ground for teams that need occasional in-person time, but the idea that full-time office attendance is non-negotiable just doesn't hold up anymore.

Work isn't a place anymore — it's a thing you do. Companies that don't get that are gonna keep losing their best people to competitors who actually care about results instead of just watching who's in their seat at 9am.

Our leader just hides while our company is attacked daily. This guy has no control over any situation or any type of plan. You just get 10 minutes of him reading off a script every three months on an earnings call. You can hear him flip the pages it’s so embarrassing.

My supervisor is unbearable for about a week every 28 days. It is like clockwork. Is this some sort of management technique? Why would she be mostly agreeable and then a total monster out of nowhere?

I get it, they will not be promoted. We don’t want them over us. But that doesn't mean they have to leave. Just take the paycheck, be quiet, and don’t ask for a career. That’s not too much to ask. Like promotes like, we only promote what looks like us, sorry…

Here’s hoping the RTO scares off the fossils so the rest of us can finally grow

NIke really needs to address its hiring and assess talent and performance culture. Business is in the sh*tier and leaders can no longer get by with keeping their friends and inner circle safe. Right now, way too many people are getting by purely on favoritism and nepotism while others carry the actual workload.

Also, trying to reach a younger demographic shouldn't mean handing senior titles to former athletes who lack business experience and corporate work ethic. We need a realistic balance of proven experience and institutional knowledge if we want the company to succeed.

When what you hear from the CEO is completely different from what he is instructing his directs to do, it’s time to go.

Anyone else fed up with the false metrics leadership is using to measure success in the risk and control space. Its ironic that the department that was built up because of the sales metic that was an illusion of added profits is now deploying the same metic illusions of reduced costs.

If it's true that the board only cares about stockholders and stock price then that explains their worth to the company. It's like our weekly conference calls. I want 30 sales this week, that breaks down to 5 per day, here is a sales plan that involves free time and I want you to call people until you get 30 sales. Same every week and the rvp has done his job. The tools are a cr-ppy POS system, Internet phones and the same call lists week after week. Low sales the store gets blamed high sales the management gets bonuses . You want stock prices to climb get rid of these do nothing fools and put your effort where your customers are. Revenue is generated by stores fools. Dm's rvps svps don't make the company a dime and almost none of them even know how to take a payment. Make us do Amazon returns with the business model of let the stores do all the work with no support or training and ignore what happened to Kohl's. I don't sell cars or insurance I work rent to own. These returners aren't shopping their returning. You are trying to teach us to swim by saying there is water nearby. You have never gotten wet yourself. Ernie Talley ran the business and saw a need. These fools now think since they wear the hat they are chefs but the truth is stock price is low and their middle men are clueless. Blame everyone else but the fault is in the mirror Blasquez. I haven't forgotten about your ineptness or you York with your id--tic power tripping. I would be ashamed if I were you.

Are there any real leaders that you admire in XOM?

These upper id--ts will just send in whatever they want and load up our backrooms and pi-s off store management. Mondelez upper management is so clueless.

I get it, they will not be promoted. We don’t want them over us. But that doesn't mean they have to leave. Just take the paycheck, be quiet, and don’t ask for a career. That’s not too much to ask. Like promotes like, we only promote what looks like us, sorry…

Anyone still around in US timezone after the latest round is executed, be prepared to work during IDC timezone in addition to the regular hours that you already do as you all will be reporting into IDC.

IDC VPs have figured out there are no jobs in US . So IDC experience and work hours can be rolled out to every one left in US.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/accenture-ceo-julie-sweet-makes-a-vacation-request-to-employees-for-this-august/articleshow/133284654.cms

What is behind that Smile?