The annual hunger games (aka Performance Assessment) begin in about two weeks. I love how DW has said that we had an exceptional year because of exceptional people. Alas, no we have to take those exceptional people and find some to shuffle to the bottom to PIP because we are a ‘meritocracy’. Anyone know this years NSI / NI percentages
25 replies (most recent on top)
Your history (and what has also been shared by senior leadership) is misleading. The historical PIP process would only force a lower relative performer into the bottom 10% rank list if they really F$@#! up (caused major safety incident, caught sleeping on job, involved in a credible harassment claim, etc). There have always been acceptable performers that weren't "Barnstormers", that sucessfully completed what they were asked and understood they weren't likely to advance further in their career. It wasn't their desire nor priority to advance nor was it the company's but they did good and acceptable work. These folks, at the bottom of the relative rank list, were ranked at 11, 12, 13 but never 10 or below where the PIP process became compulsory.
The historical 3% PIP was for those that really messed up. Not how the PIP process is abused today.
The "Hunger Games" have been on-going for thirty years at 3% NSI each year. Most years there were more than 3% who elected to retire at age 60 to 65. It would also take three years to move you from the top 1/3 of performers to the bottom 3% NSI bracket.
The only difference today is that since 2019 the NSI percentage has increased to eight to ten percent each year globally and employees can be moved from the top ten percent to the bottom ten percent in 12 months or less.
Bottom line, ExxonMobil has more internal flexibility since 2019 to reduce global headcount without "legally" calling it a layoff. Welcome to the "legally" creative career development 21st Century in ExxonMobil.
To continue the bowling analogy.....
The team manager, who's never bowled a game in their life and can't identify a bowling ball from a bocce ball, has been 'assessed' as a future 300 bowler and will be responsible for cutting the actual 290 bowler.
We are ExxonMobil!
If the process was truly legit, the sls responsible for developing these unfortunate souls should feel some heat for not doing their job. If the sls is doing their job then most all of the nsi should be purged by now unless this is not truly a performance improvement process as opposed to a masked layoff. That would be a great add to the hunger games. Sls with the most nsi employees gets cut! All of a sudden we would have star performers coming out our ears.
As a reminder to everybody, the CEO and board are the one who select the percent to be PIP. The ones who select the people to be PIP are the managers. Nothing else.
BTC will grow at the expense of EMHC. As simple as that.
@lnl+1lL7NnCG, @mjm+1lL7NnCG
Are you really stu_pid (that is, a manager) or are you trying to brown nose even here? Do you really think there’s any EM employee who really believes that ranking has anything to do with performance?
15% NSI at the HC confirmed. Those jobs will be sent to India in 1Q24
Rankings, feedback, KOs, PDS, 2 Minutes determines a future. None of this is relevant!! You are being replaced by someone in India. A country still purchasing Russian oil and gas! Managers are obsessed with pushing all the work they can to India because they think the more they push, they might get to keep their employment due to excelling at eliminating ours!! Wake up! Ranking is not relevant 2023! You are already out sourced or just let go and your days are numbered!!! Wake up and look at all of the obvious signs. Most of us have nothing personal left at the office to retrieve when a mass mailing goes out that you no longer work there. They are only providing desks for 80% of the workforce. Wake up again! They know they only need 80% because that will very soon be the 100%! How many emails for the PROCESS have you received so far? Zip!! Look at prior years, you would already have received several forms of communications regarding timelines and what to expect. Well folks, this is all by design. Think! Please think!! Prepare yourself and look out for your well being! They are moving on and out! They have used you up and found someone cheaper! EYES WIDE OPEN!! WHEN WILL WE BE NOTIFIED!!
The whole concept of performance as it relates to white-collar work is nebulous at best.
The only thing that can be judged objectively is the quality and added value of worker output. Solve a tricky technical problem, and X dollars are saved/generated over Y number of months or years. Anything else is just subjective BS designed for/by management to build teams of worthless lackeys. This is a big part of the reason why nothing in America works anymore.
@mjm
I agree that identifying the low performer in this theoretical bowling team was pretty obvious. Our issue is a lot more complex.
A better example of our situation is this:
A bowler with a 296 average
A golfer with a -6 average round
A baseball player with a 345 batting average
A basketball player averaging 40pts per game
A football player averaging 1 sack per game.
Which of these do you cut from the team? Not so straightforward now but with our system the managers have to pick one.
@mjm
The issue is we cut the 290 bowler as per our directives and replace them with an experienced baseball player who knows nothing about bowling and so the entire rest of the team has to teach the new person how to bowl instead of just focusing on their own development. Maybe after a few years the baseball player bowls a 290 but by then the 295 person had been cut.
Apologies it is 3 months. 4 months is what they offered early retirees which was a joke also.
Great thread, really enjoy reading this and some of the brilliant replies!!!
Gutterball HIPOS! Such an accurate description! 🤣🤣
@wcc+1lL7NnCG - I only got three months severance! When did four start?!!
Classic 10%
You would cut the 290 bowler if the new league rules limited the number of players (like a layoff) and you would cut the 290 bowler if you thought you could get a 290+ bowler (high grade assets). Employees are greatest asset and they need to be culled and high graded just like other assets.
That is an unfortunate side effect of the ranking system. Profitable business units are usually stacked with HiPos to be ranked against each other. That's the true Hunger Games.
To use your bowling analogy, what is more common is that everyone that throws gutter ba--s gets sent to a department that brings little to no value to the company and we have to keep the majority of them anyway.
My direct family owned a very successful business for a decade before selling it. NEVER were employees treated with the disregard that EM treats theirs, while shouting they are the companies biggest asset.
Perhaps you need a glimpse of what the world looks like outside of the EM confines.
Leaving after 20 years and not even having to look for a job because someone contacted me, and now being appreciated - just reinforces the toxic environment that is EM.
I agree in letting truly bad performers go, but it shouldn't be based on a mandatory number. That makes it a more objective approach.
@lnl+1lL7NnCG
If I had a bowling team that was comprised of people with the following averages: 299,298,297,290, no I wouldn’t cut the 290. I’d also add that this analogy even uses objective metrics and the garbage system we use is highly subjective making the relative system even worse.
You can let people go with dignity and give them a decent severance package after many years of service and good rankings. Exxonmobil is doing this on the cheap by calling you a low performer then giving you 4 months of pay. Also they dont call this a layoff, that is the biggest joke. If u can't recognize it, then there is no hope for you.
Just some food for thought:
Since we track & report every other KPI's including utilization of our toilets; perhaps there should be reporting of an additional metric & KPI for NSI recipients by race or s orientation!
I recommend HR doing a Fishbone Diagram using the following steps:
Step One: Define the Problem. What do you see happening? ...
Step Two: Collect Data. What proof do you have that the problem exists? ...
Step Three: Identify Possible Causal Factors. ...
Step Four: Identify the Root Cause(s) ...
Step Five: Recommend and Implement Solutions.
@lnl+1lL7NnCG Except… the process is demoralizing bullsh-t. Imagine working for the company for over 20 years, ALWAYS being an excellent performer, consistently ranked well, never receiving “negative feedback” …. Hitting your 50s, getting a new boss (15 years your junior), and getting NSI’d. BAM. 💥
Your performance hasn’t deteriorated, if anything - it has improved with time. You are committed and constantly bring value, improving and optimizing every project you touch. You are recognized with awards, like Advanced Skill Milestones, which really? Don’t mean anything.
There’s no rhyme, no reason, NO forewarning or justification except, “someone has to go there, we thought you’d understand and are a low flight risk.” What the f……….????!
You never think it’ll happen to you - until it does - and then you get the gut-punch realization you’re just another pawn in the game of “big” business. 🤢
There is NO merit in this ‘meritocracy.’ If there was, it wouldn’t change faster than the weather.
This continuous bi--hing about the performance assessment, mercy! If you had your own business wouldn't you want to let go of the low performers? Argue against how much you like about implementation, but also show me the one perfect objective process if you want to be useful!
5%