BHP Billiton Reviews

Pros

I've never before worked at a company that does more to show that it cares about its people, the communities it operates in, and the environment. I'm proud to work here because they make an effort to treat their employees fairly and compensate them handsomely. They don't cut corners or put profit ahead of safety.

Cons

Despite being one of the world's largest companies, it seems like hardly anyone (in the US at least) has heard of them. I have to constantly explain that, no, we're not BP. Sometimes, I feel we need a little more PR.

Pros

- Good salary, bonuses and benefits, significantly better than peer group
- Good office location in the Galleria area of Houston
- Workload is light: you will not be expected - or empowered - to achieve very much

Cons

- Extremely bloated process-driven bureaucracy where you need to ask several layers of management permission to do anything
- No pretence towards merit-based performance management, everything is politics
- Dissatisfying work environment: unless you tell your managers what they want to hear, you will be punished (i.e. "perception is reality")
- Lack of diversity: women and minorities are under-represented and under-appreciated
- Unhealthy obsession with budget activities and managing earnings, surprising for a company with such a large market cap.
- Petroleum CEO is a micro-manager who insists on seeing and deciding on every little thing, no matter how trivial

Advice to Senior Management

Management needs to take responsibility for the high attrition rate, and change the 1930's management style. Professional people in the oil industry do not want to be treated like prisoners on a work release program. Lighten up!

Pros

Excellent benefits
Real bonus program paid annually and substantial part of compensation package
Comfortable work environment
Growing part of overall BHP corporation while other main businesses (mining) are static
Petroleum management got our corporate parent to change our business cycle because of constant long hours - listened and took action

Cons

Frequent long hours, weeknights with laptop or come in on weekends
Supervise too many people to be effective for all employees

Advice to Senior Management

Match promotions to stated standards for supervisors and managers - some recent promotions in finance are individuals that are not well liked or respected by their peers or subordinates. By promoting such individuals, this directly contradicting stated policy that supervisors are key to employee success. Promoting such divisive and polarizing individuals makes the overall employee base jaded and cynical. We should identify bad supervisors and either train them better or make them sole contributors, not overseeing people.

Pros

multiple commodities, large long life deposits, money spent hand over fist to develop up and coming opportunities. Highly profitable and great learning ground.

Cons

Company is very concerned with risk; has not make an aggressive acquisition in quite some time, shale gas being the one meager exception. Lots of systems that leave not scope for employee initiative. Absolutly no consideration for people and employees, turn over in professional roles is very high. "leave your brain at teh gate" mentality fostered by multitude of procedures and systems.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop living off the value created by the past discoveries and start aggressively finding new deposits and/or making acquisitions. You need to create wealth not only for todays shareholders but sustain it for the future. and for God's sake give your employees a bit of scope to take the initiative.

Pros

You are valued at current skills level!

Cons

You may not get a good manager who gives support and guidance for self improvement.

Advice to Senior Management

Make available relevant Training for job and job advancement. Give frank and feedback. Keep annual skills test and support employees up to date skills level.

Pros

Great Pay and great Benefits. Good Galeria location.

Cons

VERY political environment. Alot of ass kissing leading to poor quality workers selected for HR roles.

Advice to Senior Management

Long overdue to bring in new HR leadership in Houston

Pros

busy and hardworking environment...very good values,,,very organised and controlled...long hours but busy...very safety conscious...international travel opportunities...pay is ok...cafeteria coming...free parking

Cons

too many meetings...downtown location...stiff xmas party...strict work hours...9/80 isn't real...elevators slow...a/c too cold...too many computer outages...no diet sprite in fridge...

Advice to Senior Management

it would be a good idea to get around and ask floks how they feel...some people think we work to hard...most feel pay is ordinary...pretty strct rules and lots of fear

Pros

good salary, smart people in head office. really trying to improve things. Ability to move almost anywhere in the world ( can be a major downside if prefer to stay in one location)

Cons

procedures for everything its ridiculous,

Pros

Company s growing
Looking for opportunity

Cons

I heard it follows Exxon mobile style management

Advice to Senior Management

Need to be more research oriented.

Pros

Brand name
Expertise of the business units
Global presence

Cons

People can be arrogant
Compensation does not rise fast enough

Advice to Senior Management

Pay your staff more