Thread regarding Chevron Corp. layoffs

@irhk, so true. There was a time when capability and performance were valued (remember Chevron Way?). Now it's diversity numbers and equity of outcome. Look to the schools, who are now disavowing testing (SATs, LSATs, on-grade testing at any level, de-emphasizing advanced and accelerated learning in favor of guaranteed minimum grades, etc.). This is all a smokescreen for poor teacher performance (the current teachers themselves came up through this watered-down education system). The products of this education mis-adventure and agenda propaganda are just now entering Chevron's workforce. Senior management breathes a sigh of relief (just as you said), they'll all be comfortably retired before their millennial replacements realize that agenda and networks don't find and produce oil and gas, and certainly don't evolve Chevron into whatever the greenies dictate.

@hcel, I’m sure you tell the truth. There’s an agenda in place at Chevron, not to mention most of corporate America. They should should be honest call it what it is; Affirmative Action, Reverse Discrimination, Reparations, etc. The day of reckoning will come someday in the not too long distant future. It always happens when enough is enough. Mark my words, it won’t be pretty. Luckily, I’ve been retired some 6 or so years. I don’t need to work anymore and have my financial affairs well handled. I saw these days coming since Obama took office the first time.

The whole process is a shell game. I once went through a calibration process with my Peer Team Leads and presented the results to management for approval. It was kicked back saying we weren't promoting enough minorities.

@9reo, the more things "change", the more they remain the same. The hallmark of Chevron over the years has been changing the names of titles and processes (usually based on some consultant's recommendations), while not changing any of the responsibilities or activities. It's all an illusion masquerading as "progress".

@5llp - a high pot was defined as an A1, A2, or B1 in the 3x3 matrix, which doesn't exist anymore. But you're right... there are still the teacher's pet employees. They have also replaced it with "growth potential" and "aiming points" as oppose to the 3x3 matrix where A1, A2, B1 determined who was a high pot.

@7qli, some good work by SME was not really by SME, it was by service company, such as HAL or SLB, BH. SME has played a role, but it could have been over credited. I have seen this, and as a result, the SME was bumped to higher grade quick. It is difficult to evaluate how much credit a SME should take as most projects are the result of team work, in and out.

@6ja, "SMEs" (that is, technical ladder folk, TLF) have a rigid promotion scheme, the same for all "SMEs". Ask around, you'll find that all TLF get promoted to the same PSG at about the same point in their careers. In other words, your performance doesn't really matter, there's already a formula for your career progression. The only exception I know of are the TLF who have made some truly $$$ beneficial change (discoveries, production, cheaper drilling), they'll get a PSG bump so they don't jump ship to another company. Almost all do within a couple years anyways.

All that being said, is the process the same if your an SME not a manager?

the current policy is the promotion to PSG 25 is local authority, to PSG26+ is global. For local, i think it is up to your GM. for global, need endorsement from GM's at other BUs. but how these GMs from other BUs know you???? strange process.

If you’re being promoted to 24+ then it’s the entire PDR. If below that, your department has autonomy at the local Leadership Team level.

@5vqu, there still are high-pots and 'teacher's pet' employees in Chevron. High-pots are determined at a higher level than first-line supervisors. The FL supervisor's job is to merely act as a mother hen for the 18 months the high-pot spends in their group. However, I do agree that those same first-line managers are handing out EEs like candy to mollify their employees. By doing so, the REAL job of differentiating employees goes to the those closed-door mysterious PDC and promotion committees. Hence, we have been hoodwinked, and one's career development has been pushed back to the bad ol' days of Chevron where nothing was clear or obvious, and no one could tell you what you could do to be promoted.

Yeah, the OP certainly does not work for chevron.

Promotions are put in during the summer in everyone finds out ~November.

@4iea there is no such thing as a "high pot" anymore. by giving supervisors all of the power with no calibration sessions, everybody is getting the highest ratings. you can no longer differentiate a top performer from a bad performer (whether it be truly high performing, or just a supervisor afraid of giving hard messages and just giving everybody all good ratings)

@2qql, no surprise. Chevron management responsible for determining promotions 1) have no technical experience to recognize a solid performer with upside capability; and 2) they're ordered to preferentially, if not exclusively, promote high-pots, diversity candidates, and family members. After that , there's nothing left for those honestly performing well.

I got away for several years with hiding a cheap digital baby monitor inside a credenza in a conference room where the upper echelons were holding pay ranking sessions. I heard of things going on in there that I only suspected happened. Never listen to what they tell you is taking place in these high level meetings. It’s pure subjectivity with a little family & friends business thrown in. That’s what’s going on.

If you have to ask these questions, you aren't getting promoted.

If you have to ask then you can be sure you will not be getting promoted. You obvi don’t know how the game is played.

I knew a maniac years ago who put a wireless mic in the conference room used for the PDC so he could eavesdrop. He got quite an earful!

What company are you with? Certainly not chevron. Promotion period is not now….