Does anyone get used to this? Clearly cultural and they have zero shame or ethics, but what kind of coping mechanisms should I adopt when working in this kind of environment? How does anyone stay beyond a few months? Any top tips to retain sanity?
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It sure is. Aramco is a lens to concentrate stupidity.
The weekly highlights comment is spot on. If you can be in charge of positive spin, making your local masters look like gods, you will be seen as an asset. Doesn’t matter if the highlights are accurate or not. Nobody actually cares. Ditto, Make nice ppts. Nod your head. Inshallah. Write your bosses emails. Rinse and repeat. That’s Aramco. A great place for grifters, politicians and opportunists with no real knowledge of anything.
This might shed some light on the situation.
An intelligent college educated guy I once knew, joked to me, "getting 200k/yr...not bad for making copies."
Says a lot.
If you want a stress free career just volunteer to organize the weekly highlight. It’s essentially a license to do nothing else and get praised weekly from the management for a job well done.
They once prided themselves on their family friendly values. My; how things have changed so drastically in such a short time span.
Hope you don’t get tangled too with the darkness and if you do have a ready plan for an exit.
These days I advise no one to bring family.
Develop thick skin.
Have a good s3x life.
Be brave and leave as soon as you see things getting out of control.
If you believe, pray and pray a lot against the evil forces here.
I spent 17 years there ending in 2019; the transition years. From what I have read, the early early years ( 40's - 70's) were magical. To be cliche, nothing good lasts forever.
Make your peace with it or move on. That's it...you can not affect change at this point.
The light at end of the tunnel is you and not them.
Leave and wave goodbye to the circus.
Speak for yourself! The only major thing that went wrong with my career was joining Aramco! I was a director at a very well known IOC, ran a $ xxM budget. Now I work for a caveman doing admin activities…I was duped, so many promises broken I have lost count. As others have said you are working for people who cheat/lie/mislead for a sport. Like the OP I’m on the way out soon too!
I really feel for you, but you to be honest with yourself. Let's face it, if you are at Aramco, something went wrong in your career. Why? Was it you, bad luck, or a combination of the two? Your answer to this question will hold the key to what you should do now.
As for me, I was near the end of my career, got downsized during the great financial crisis, then looked for a job in my field for quite a while without success. When I got an offer from Aramco, I had no other real prospects for employment that didn't involve me asking the customer if "he wanted fries with that". I went to Aramco during what would probably now be considered the good 'ole days, su-ked it up until I had enough money to retire, and then I left. While I was probably luckier than some, I did get treated somewhat badly toward the end of my time there. I took the ill treatment because I lacked alternatives.
Emotionally, the whole thing was difficult for me. Before I got dumped in my home country, I had a pretty successful career, and I really had to swallow my pride especially as conditions at Aramco got worse. In the end, I think I made it because I was willing to be honest with myself.
Point (4) on damage to mental health is real and not to be ignored.
Having management that constantly belittle and treat you like a piece of excr-ment eventually gets to the best of us! From my personal experience at aramco, those that bottle
It up can become permanently damaged -therapy will be required. The kinds of psychological daemons the Aramco experience unlocks can take years to be resolved. Who knows what it does to kids emotional development, who are exposed to parents emitting that kind of negative energy. Good luck!
Those eight steps should be on mounted on the crumbling walls of your allocated house.
So basically....embrace the s-ck then. That's a valid strategy.
So as a humerous yet hauntingly truthful summary;
(1) Go to bed as soon as you're home as sleep is an escape. But, in time you hope you don't wake up for another dreadful day.
(2) Brew your own fuel if you can to mentally switch off before pursuing (1) as above.
(3) Go to Bahrain! - every weekend might not be enough. In fact, try to get a job in Bahrain if you can.
(4) Accept the psychological and emotional harm you will suffer to work there. Dont under estimate the long term issues here on mental and physical health. Could be a good reason for regular JHAR appointments.
(5) Leave as soon as you've made your coin target amd leave quickly and cleanly. Listen to your gut instinct to get out as soon as you can to emancipate yourself from everything you know and feel is totally wrong.
(6) Realise and accept the culture will not change. So many beforehand foolishly held onto a hope things will get better. They don't. That's heartbreaking enough knowing then big steps you took coming here.
(7) Two years used to be the minimum time to stay. These days its probably a year with lower wages and less benefits.
(8) Just get through another day.
Book regular trips away, Bahrain is your easiest bet. Take regular breaks at work, extend your lunch, “visit” the JHAH more often. Look after yourself, nobody else gives a damn. They will bleed you dry.
Focus on the prize, when you hit your target, leave. DO NOT invest any emotional time into this place, it will destroy you psychologically.
Reconcile that you are selling time now for (maybe) time later. And that you are risking your health for wealth. Accept and it will go easier.
Two words, F#%k it!
One word, Bahrain.
I always used home brew to keep me going. Everyone makes their own wine. But really only for weekends as the stuff can make a workday super he-l. I used meditation apps, other soothing music apps at bedtime, but best was the military method for sleeping to help me get enough sleep ready for another Aramco day. It mostly worked for me.
An outstanding employee was rowed out of the company recently as he was on holiday.
They were not in the 'in crowd' and was accused of a range of things and thrown under the bus.
Lies, backstabbing, being mislead is all apart of the game of a blame culture and the obvious corporate failings of the company.
Simple solution. Leave with your faculties when it suits you.