I just want to work for a place that values its people. Is that too much to ask for? It’s frustrating to see companies holding onto their top talent because they get how valuable they are, while here, they’re pushing out the most skilled workers because they’re seen as too costly. It's clear the management doesn’t understand what it takes to succeed. I hate it that the number-crunchers call all the shots. No surprise things are going downhill.
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You are so right. Chevron 1990s to 2015 were amazing. I was one of the people truly proud to work for Chevron during that time.
Culture does matter, and they won't prioritize keeping people happy and attrition low like they used to - the people eating our lunch have higher attrition than we do. Welcome to our "new and improved" culture
So OP, you want to work for a utopian company that doesn't exist. Let's be clear.
The whole MARC fiasco was a hilariously obvious bad idea at the get-go. The women thought it was demeaning to need “Men to help make change” for them. Most men saw right through it as an obvious CYA for the company… and the d-mb s**ts like MN ran around to all the BUs promoting it. At least at our Tent Top event, there was unlimited Chick Fil A! Prime example that MN is an empty stuffed shirt.
What's really a shame is that in the Chevron Way era (up to about 2015), Chevron had its share of nepotism and cronyism, but it was relatively minor. People were proud to work for the company, and career advancement was a goal, even for the non-high pots. Once Chevron Way was 'retired' and replaced by MARC, ALLY, DEI, and the such, once networks and volunteering to carry boxes for the Houston Food Bank became so important, Chevron lost its way as an oil company and became a social experiment like the US Postal Service. We're now seeing the effects of a decade of misplaced priorities.
As soon as I reported bullying, threatening and retaliatory behaviors by a PDR to HR and they did everything they could to bury it - I knew culture and care at this company had been lost. Ironic as we have a ‘zero tolerance policy’ so what happens when HR BPs refuse to report because they have relationships with the aggressor? We’re just run by people willing to step on others to progress their names. The Club is real.
Chevron has a long history of nepotism and cronyism. No surprise that Chevron doesn't have any accomplished or experienced oil finders. Look into the few-and-far-between significant discoveries of the last 25 years, and you will find that the people truly responsible leave the company within a couple years, either poached by competitors or quit in disgust at their anonymity or lack of any promotion within Chevron. MW's simplistic idea of "oil finders" right now is retrofitted pattern drillers in the Permian. Fine until they start running out of prime acreage later this decade. You can trace this same behavior in FE or PE, prime reason they're being replaced by ENGINE.
Look it breaks down to you have to be in The Culture “CLUB” period. That is reserved for a small percentage and they always fail up!
Culture does matter. Chevron has traditionally taken the softest touch on employment matters when compared to other O&G companies. Many believe this to be a contributor to their bottom quartile performance on cost and execution.
As an expensive consultancy once described. Culture is who you hire, who you fire, what you promote, and what you punish.
I'm hoping that some long overdue "firing" and "punishment" can eventually open up the other side of the equation "promote." The annuals of Chevron are too full of bureaucrats and box checkers right now to afford any real career upside.