Does anyone here work for HP? (Houston, Howe: apartments, home, job market)

[mute78]

I'm a Texas native working at a medical device company in Colorado. I've been looking for an avenue to return home but I'm a little apprehensive about leaving my current and secure (but stressful) production job for a production job at HP in Houston. Can anyone tell me what the culture is like at this facility? How about the job security? Do most people enjoy working for this company? I'm supposed to accept or deny this job by next week and any information you could provide would be HUGE! Thanks in advance!

[jimboburnsy]

are you talking about building rigs or computers?

[mute78]

...building computers.

[Beto]

They are a good company to work for and have some great benefits for its employees.

[mute78]

Thanks Beto...what's the company culture like? I've been reading that HP has laid off alot of people world wide. Is Houston typically a plant that is heavily impacted by this? If so, which positions are the most vulnerable, or the first to go?

[Beto]

As of October last I heared was that they acquired Electronic Data Systems Corp and were going to layoff some people.

[Supermac34]

ABout 99% of the layoffs that are upcoming for HP are people from newly aquired EDS, and then, its almost totally the corporate folks (finance, accounting, internal services, etc) that are made redundant by HP already having folks for those jobs.

I can't comment on working production side of things, but I do know what the corporate environment is like.

HP, in the past, was all about being a great place to work and really were HR heavy. These days, they are not like that so much.

Basically, to survive and be succcessful, IT companies can't spend like they used to, and HP's new CEO, while totally turning around the company, has made cost cutting a top priority. Its worked on the market, its worked on the stock price, and its worked in making HP probably in the best financial and competitive position its EVER been in. However, a lot of the HR type programs of the past have been cut to do that. So, what it comes down to is HP still pays very competitively, they have good benefits, but they aren't the "HP way" culture of the past. Its not bad to work here, in fact, you can make good money and work for a strong company, but its not some "top 10 place to work for" anymore.

EDIT: Also, if you do work for them, they are extremely competitive on salaries for bringing new people in off the job market. Get as much as you can when you come in, because once you are in, its harder to get incremental raises, but you can often get enough as an opening salary to make it OK.

[mute78]

They may have great benefits, but for some reason, they don't offer a relocation package! Anyways, thanks Supermac for the detailed insight! I think I'll take the job, I just hope the position is as secure as the one I'm leaving! I'm obviously a little apprehensive...anything else you can tell/warn me about?

[Supermac34]

One of the positives if you are working at the Houston campus, is that the campus is in one of the nicer and most affordable areas of the Houston suburbs. You can live in Cypress or Klein and get a nice home for the money with little or no commute. There are also plenty of nice apartments close by as well.

As with any company in this time, there IS risk, but I think HP has made the decision recently to try as hard as possible to NOT cut staff in 2009 due to the economy. Of course, decisions like those can often change, but as far as a non energy company goes right now, HP is in about as good of a position as any.

[Jamesww]

Well if it makes you feel any better HP just made a major land purchase for an expansion facility just a bit Northwest of the current campus. And when I say just made the purchase I am talking in the last couple of months. This tells me that they plan to keep Houston as a major player in their future plans. So, it would most likely be one of the last places to cut substantially. Also as long as oil stays above $30 a barrell the Houston economy should be the best performing in city in the country. Under $30 and alot of the local projects will get cut and that could make Houston one of the worst spots to be. Just my .02 and I have not gotten my crystal ball working right.