Company’s investments go beyond pipelines to employees, with ‘outstanding’ pay, benefits
For the 11th year in a row, the pipeline company Plains All American was named to the Houston Chronicle’s Top Work places list, ranking fifth among large employers.
With almost 900 employees in Houston, Plains operates pipelines across the United States and Canada, moving more than 3.5 million barrels of oil and natural gas liquids each day. Employees touted “outstanding” pay and benefits and “relaxed” work atmosphere as well as management that “seems to truly care for the well-being of its employees.”
Carlissa Joiner, a talent management manager, joined the company out of college more than a decade ago and said she’s never looked elsewhere.
“They’re really good about investing in their employees,” she said. “I’ve had several different positions and several different departments, and there was always a conversation about where I wanted to go inmy career and developing a plan to accomplish that.”
Employees said in surveys they also felt the company listened to them and gave them leeway to do their work as they see fit.
“Everyone (at least inmy department) has an equal voice from contractors to director and above,” an employee wrote in their survey. “The work environment is very relaxed and allows us to focus on our tasks without micro-management.”
COVID-19 has changed how workplaces operate. Plains generally limits employees to just two days a week in the office to limit the possibility of an outbreak.
The company also finds other ways to help its workers, paying into an emergency relief fund for employees to access in times of need. In the past, employees used it for things like cleaning out their homes after flooding, but now they can also use it to help them through financial difficulty brought on by the pandemic, Joiner said.
“It makes you feel like the company actually cares, and that goes a long way,” she said.