I use to enjoy my job and was happy to come to work; lately I wonder if the paycheck is really worth the misery. I don't see any significant change coming that will make a difference. Is there still somewhere in the company with rewarding, value adding work?
19 replies (most recent on top)
Magic 8 ball says.... it doesn't look good
There is no evidence that the few at the very top will hold middle upper management accountable, and those below don't have the position to do so.
The middle-upper leadership need to address this themselves - but will they?
I'm with you 1zzp, but any idea how we can hold middle upper management accountable, or at least get them out the way so the rest of us can get something done that will actually make money?!?
Is Morale Good anywhere? Yes.....Cenovus, Devon, Husky, Suncor....
it is now time for all hands on deck. Management has severely weakened the Company and destroyed billions in shareholder value by missteps. It is up to us, the remaining employees, to help them regain solid footing. The under-performance has got to stop. COP status in the industry & market- place must be improved. Many good former employees were let go due to the missteps. Let us not fail those who were let go so that we may have a chance to rebuild this Company.
If you are just now thinking about grabbing a bucket to help out I want to know how they missed you in the last 3 layoffs. Seems like only whiners and slackers are left.
It's clear from (most) responses that there is still some reason to hope we can save this sinking ship, thanks for restoring my faith, even if only temporarily. Maybe if enough of us grab buckets and start bailing we can convince others to do the same and manage to right the ship... nice to know I'm not treading water alone!
Please do not leave. The Company has elected to retain you. You are greatly needed now during these trying times. The future of the Company is at risk. again, please do not leave.
Wow. Someone finally spelled morale right on here.
OP, I feel the same way. Have for years, and the feeling is more intense after the demoralizing last couple years. I've stayed for the money. I have a net worth goal, and I'm very close to reaching it. When I reach that net worth I'll be walking out the door and changing careers. How much money do you need to be happy? Financially independent? To allow you to pursue other avenues? Give some thought to your number, and remember that you only live once and life is very short. Meanwhile, hang in there.
Help the company the best you can? So they can lay you off when oil prices go to the low 40's or they sell your asset? All while RL pulls in $21MM? Pass the pipe I want what you are smoking buddy!
Stay strong. Oil pricing may soften during 2017 & 2018 due to latest storage/supply/demand projections. May be re- visiting sub-$40 pricing during 2017. Just do your job the best you can. Help the Company the best you can.
Enjoy the oil and gas country club! The O+G business is easy!
The guys that have lasted 20 years in this business are probably top 5% income earners in North America. Use that as your motivation as the country club job will allow you to afford every other luxury in your life
@wnd,
Your state of mind is up to you to control.
Is your entire life a net negative right now?
I'm guessing when all is weighed, you're net positive?
Original poster and first answer: this is exactly how I feel. I have landed in a good job, I feel lucky to have it. I keep telling myself that I'm being unreasonable, but I cannot shake off feelings that I am soooo unhappy. I tried to chalk it up to just being tired from all the changes and uncertainty. At this point, the only thing keeping me here are my stock grants. I cannot just walk away from those and probably wouldn't find another employer who would buy me out. I'll keep plowing through and watch for that light at the end.
"Happiness" is an odd management concept used to deflect the bad situation from the employer to the employee. Dire situations are not candidates for "happiness".
Thanks, it's good to know there are still some folks like yourselves around somewhere...
-
I've tried all I can come up with (reached out to former colleagues, met with TMT, communicated to supervisor a new position would be a better fit, etc.). There doesn't seem to be too many options at the moment and the more time I spend buried under several layers of management that can't articulate the value their organization adds to the corporation the more I start believing we are doomed to fail. You're right happiness is often a choice we make, which has kept me going for the last 1.5 years, but it's a choice that is becoming more difficult to make by the day. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any.
-
It's probably a combination of the two, but certainly feels much worse as this is the first time I've had management in COP that actively quiets employees ideas and identification of errors so as "not to rock the boat." It seems we'd rather keep doing the wrong things and making bad decisions than own up to our mistakes (c'mon we all make them) and correct them. So much for accountability...
-
It's exactly that "end in sight" that I'm looking for and can't find. With each round of layoffs I've been told what a valuable employee I am and that I just need to be patient; change and good things are coming! Yet each time it's more of the same and I'm running out of patience.
-
I thought I was heading in the right direction and I still might be, but it's difficult to tell given the road blocks between individual contributors/first line supervisors and the ELT. The ELT seems to be saying the right things in terms of the culture they want to drive and there are plenty of us ready and excited to embrace it, but somewhere between them and us we run into a brick wall and nothing changes. With every reduction/re-org I've had hope this would be fixed, but you can hope in one hand and ---- in the other and we all know which fills up first!
Still hanging on by my fingertips...
A few questions for you;
-
Is there anything you can do to change the situation? (I understand you likely would have already done it, but you still need to think about it once in a while.)
-
Is it as bad as it seems or, are you just worn down and tired of the current situation which often makes it seem worse than it is?
-
Is it temporary? Is there an end in sight or strong odds of it? Realizing there is a change or a known end at a certain point can help in getting through the rough patch. (It might be 40 miles of bad road but you know it ends at 40 miles...)
-
And the biggie - What do you want to be doing five years from now and are you headed in that direction? (Don't worry right now if the speed of progression has dropped temporarily, it happens during the course of a career and is not always in your control)
Oh, and happiness is often a choice you make.
Hang in there...
For me after 20 years it's still working for me....i love what I do and i'd do it for free........don't tell anyone.