Occidental Petroleum Reviews

Pros

laid back work environment and friendly employees

Cons

lower pay than industry standard

Pros

Most training is by computer based training (CBT).

Cons

Layoffs are common, little to no information sharing and teamwork lacks. Very little cross training.

Advice to Senior Management

Work with managers on building teams and help people achieve promotions rather than hinder them.

Pros

Oxy does not supervise their employs with a magnifying glass. This allows for you to feel comfortable working, and realize that you can exceed within the company if you are driven.

Cons

The oilfield can become redundant.

Advice to Senior Management

Look at possibly giving more rewarding raises based on the volume of work that is put out by individuals.

Pros

I like being recognized for my hard work

Cons

The pay could be better

Advice to Senior Management

None

Pros

Oxy is a good company to work for, you would acquire a set of skills and experience that would make you very marketable.

Cons

The problem, Oxy pays average salaries, many engineers and technical people are leaving the company because they get paid much better somewhere else. Oxy fails to retain talent, big salary adjustments only come after you give your resignation letter. it's not smart because to replace somebody you spend time, money and have to offer potential candidates the "market value" not the average salary you were paying to your already proven good performer.
Also Oxy likes to recruit at top schools so new grads come making more money than the employes with 5 to 10 years of experience, so many of them end up quitting and Oxy loses all the time, money and effort spent training those young workers.

Advice to Senior Management

Share the wealth, executives at the top get excessively wealthy while the rest only makes "average salaries". If you want top performers you should offer top salaries.

Pros

Mid size integrated oil and gas co offering a breadth of opportunities

Cons

Limited opportunities due to size

Advice to Senior Management

Continue strategic gowth and focus on cost management but recognize employee value and contribution

Pros

Results oriented, many good people to work with.

Cons

Focus on short term Business Results at any cost is similar to the BP business model for disaster.

Unexplained layoffs of very good people. Layoffs at peak stock price. Layoffs just before Christmas.

Advice to Senior Management

Remedy the hire-and-fire culture of fear and productivity will increase.

Pros

As a world wide player in the oil industry there is ample opportunity for lateral movement within the company.

Cons

Pay and compensation is on the low end of the industry. Very tight with a dollar.

Pros

Scope of work is interesting and never a dull moment.

Cons

Management has "their favorites"..very quick to blame and does not pass or share information..Meetings are literally blame sessions.

Advice to Senior Management

Have periodic performance appraisals that are meaningful to employees. No honest conversations among groups.

Pros

Good management and good employees

Cons

Bad locations to work such as bakersfield

Advice to Senior Management

Great management team no advice