On April 20, 2020, the benchmark price of oil—WTI—fell to an unprecedented level of -$37.61 for May 2020 futures contracts. While this event was not on the level of the invasion of Normandy or the release of the next iPhone version, its shock waves ripped through oil and gas boardrooms around the world—mostly because it […]
Change Happens. Or Does It?
Those rascals are moving to Texas. How will that affect the way Texas does business, or will it? I want to start where I left off last month with the prospect of mergers and acquisitions and significant businesses moving to Texas to operate in a state more friendly to business expansion. To revisit layoffs, let’s […]
Mergers, Acquisitions, Furloughs, Layoffs—and your Employees
This month, I am highlighting the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 (WARN Act). If your company staffs fewer than 100 employees, this law does not apply to you, but just the same it is better to treat your employees well when you sell your company, or when you furlough or lay off […]
Performance Evaluations
The New Year that is 2021 can bring with it your opportunity to improve your employees’ performance, improve your bottom line, and improve the tone of your ongoing discourse. You can achieve all of these with well-administered Performance Evaluations. Most of us have just a little more than some respect for West Texas native Matthew […]
Going with the Flow
The iconic pump jack, emblazoned on hats, jackets, signs, and the hearts of oil and gas people everywhere, is alive and well. No one thinks it’s going anywhere any time soon, because it does still have much work to do. But underneath the surface, some cracks are appearing in its once ubiquitous and seamless armor. […]
That Infernal Year
As you’re reading this, you have 2020 behind you. As I write this, there are still about six weeks of waiting for the year to come to a grinding halt. The year began with some “known unknowns.” Presidential election years are always uncertain, and this time we were sitting in front of a clear choice, […]
The Best of 2020
As we move into 2021, I want to briefly look back at 2020 and praise some Human Resource (HR)/Human Capital leaders in the Permian Basin. Your HR leaders have been front and center to protect you and your employees, which is one heck of a juggling act. Often, they are the ones who bring goodwill […]
Being Woke: Oilfield Services Adapt to 2020
The key words in today’s economic world would seem to include “disruption, adaptation, and creativity.” Nowhere are these words more pertinent than in the oilfield services sector. There, additional key phrases would be “burning iron” and “squeezing profits.” The three companies contacted for this article exemplify another word—“diversity”—as each has taken a different path to […]
Stressors in 2020 and What to Do About Them
Look into the mirror and what do you see? I am writing this article in early September, National Suicide Prevention Month, for the November edition. By the time you flip through this magazine, many things will have changed. COVID cases may have dropped off, or the perfect storm of the winter flu and COVID may […]
Next Steps in a Topsy Turvy Year
For this month’s article, my co-writer is Michael Crain. Michael’s experience includes owning and operating a restaurant, construction company, and manufacturing facility that interacted with global partners. His background includes engineering in multiple disciplines and lecturing at UTPB, achieving the Teacher of the Year award recognized across all UT campuses. He is a graduate of […]
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