BP Reviews

Pros

Great place for a newcomer or a relatively recent undergrad - lots of training opportunities, lots of development opportunities, and all around access to solid corporate best practices to learn all the things one shouldn't do and how to do things well. As a large firm, it does spend its resources and money on developing people and all in all, it is a great starting point for ones career...

Cons

After about 10 years or so, even as a high-potential candidate, one often runs into lack of development opportunities, mismatch with salary expectations, lack of opportunities, lack of flexibility (work hours, work locations). In recent years, there has been an outflow of senior level female leaders from the company - see some of the reasons above.

Advice to Senior Management

Benchmark your salaries to market - a bit difficult to convince people these days based on benefit package alone (which may be revised 100+ times before one receives it - e.g. retirement) and question whether selling the company based on its brand is a smart thing to do these days. Encourage young talent and find a way to retain it for more than 10 years.

Pros

International assignments, opportunities to learn if you stay around long enough, decent benefits, obtained advanced degree on company dime, refining locations (all being sold)

Cons

Would not recommend as a long-term future in the US, outside of Houston. Leadership has become a 'DILBERT-cartoon-caricature' of itseff”. They have hired or are breeding leaders that lack integrity to doing things the right way the first time or nor care to leave the office and learn about how the business runs.

A company that formerly placed value on ability, concrete results, and integrity, BP has championed a revolutionary paper-for-brains-check-the-box leadership method coupled with fellow middle managers that lack ability to cognitively comprehend, prioritize, and integrate into existing policies or practices because they are scared and lack the vital experience. Many middle managers stymie continuous improvement by failing to disclose seriousness of events, fearing career implications.

Where the Gulf of Mexico, Texas City, and other incidents should have simplified and focused business and operations objectives, the company handsomely rewards the retreads that led the company into that type of exposure in the first place.

Advice to Senior Management

Low price is not equal to low costs.
Instead of solely placing safety professionals in the HSSE departments, put more operations & engineering professionals in these roles.

Seek continuous improvement, not throwing the baby out with the bath water. Get Leadership and managers out of the office and into the plant or field to see the reality of what is going on.

If you want the best operational results, tie baker panel program change effectiveness and manager/employee pay to long term success of these programs so these check the box managers have to own the paper being pushed out.

Pros

Great HR practices, very inclusive, high on training

Cons

too many changes on annual basis

Advice to Senior Management

let people be in jobs for at least 2-3 years!

Pros

Professional and supportive company at every level and every location. Tries hard to do the right thing both environmentally and in business.

Cons

large company, so a little hard to get things done quickly.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't let the company die from over-assurance. You already had a good focus on safety in MOST of the company before Macondo. Perhaps drilling and the BP/contractor interfaces need some work, but don't re-engineer the company and add another layer of assurance and safety - it's too much!

Pros

The PSCM function at BP is growing rapidly, the on the job opportunities and learning were abundant. They treat the interns to paid housing, very competitive pay, and relocation reimbursement. BP also made strong efforts to extend business travel opportunities to interns for extended and enhanced job learning.

Cons

Some see the new-hire Challenger program having a con in its 2, 1.5 year rotations that demand you spend 1 rotation at a field location that generally speaking is not a desirable place to spend 18 months of your younger years.

Pros

BP is well established company and has good benefits. Good to work with and there is room for improvement. OK

Cons

Management should be more people oriented that process oriented; desicions should be made faster and direction should be more clear.

Advice to Senior Management

BP is well established company and has good benefits. Good to work with and there is room for improvement. OK

Pros

Great work-life balance, with on-site childcare, fitness facilities, and a soon-to-be-completed on-site medical clinic.
Great group of people to work with, team harmony is emphasized.
Genuine concern for employees, emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
Challenging work with opportunities for personal advancement, with a new-hire training program followed by a technical development program.
You will typically change roles every 3 years.
Transparent review process with supervisor.

Cons

It is a mystery how employee reviews translate to merit increases or bonuses, and the promotion process is slow.
Base salaries are not up to par with other companies, but you will be enticed with bonuses that don't seem to materialize.
Want to advance into management? Unless you are British, don't plan on it.
Don't expect an international assignment if you are based in Houston -- very GoM-centric.
While your role will change every few years, the process is nebulous.
In the subsurface, you will be expected to define your career path early.
Be prepared for perpetual reorganization.
Senior management seems inept.
Morale is low due to the Deepwater Horizon accident.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior management always seems to find a way to screw things up, which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. They are very reactive but need to be more proactive. They also need to value employees more and realize that salary does matter.

Pros

Great benefits, fair compensation, ability to get hands on experience, people are diverse and qualified, good eduactional assistance and training within company.

Cons

appears that there is feeling of giving up in North America, large corporate bureaucracy that gets in the way of productivity at times.

Advice to Senior Management

Please be upfront with Policy from England. It is sometimes difficult to determine the direction in which the company is headed since the Gulf oil spill.

Pros

Career development - Training is a focus
Benefits
Accountability

Cons

Inflexible practices ingrained
Senior leadership not always held accountable

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to your people through climate and exit survey's and take action

Pros

i make a good salery

Cons

BP has a bad name at present

Advice to Senior Management

they need to keep their older experienced workers