journeyperson lineperson

service coordinator

distribution manager

developer ii

city engineer

PacifiCorp

I've been working at PacifiCorp off and on as a contractor and FTE since 2016, and while the company has many positive aspects, there is a significant issue that needs addressing - inexperienced management.

Pros:
* A strong company history and reputation in the utility industry.
* Reasonable compensation and good benefits packages.
* Positive work environment overall.

Cons:
* Inexperienced Management: One of the most significant challenges I've encountered during my time here is the presence of inexperienced managers in some departments. This inexperience has had a noticeable impact on team dynamics, productivity, and overall morale. It often feels like decisions are made by some managers without a full understanding of their implications, which can lead to confusion and frustration among their subordinates.
* Lack of Leadership Development: It appears that there is a gap in leadership development within the organization. For managers to be successful and empower their employees, it’s critical that they receive the training and mentorship necessary to effectively manage teams. Unfortunately, I've seen instances where managers seem ill-prepared for their roles and the pressure of being in leadership.
* Communication Challenges: Inexperienced management has also led to communication breakdowns and “siloing” between individual contributors and leadership within the company. It's also sometimes difficult to get clear answers or direction from certain managers, which can hinder the ability to work efficiently, collaboratively, and in ways that foster professional growth.

Suggestions for Improvement:

* Invest in Leadership Development: PacifiCorp should prioritize leadership development programs to ensure that managers have the skills and knowledge required to lead their teams effectively.
* Feedback Mechanisms: Implement regular feedback mechanisms where employees can anonymously provide input about their managers. This can help identify and address problem areas more effectively, and resolve issues before they result in turnover, poor performance, and a lack of morale.
* Clear Communication Channels: Improve communication channels within the organization to ensure that information flows smoothly from top to bottom and vice versa.
* Mentorship Programs: Establish mentorship programs for newly promoted managers, pairing them with experienced leaders who can provide guidance and support.
* Regular Performance Reviews: Conduct regular performance reviews for managers to identify areas where additional training or development is needed.

I believe that addressing these issues could significantly enhance the overall work experience at PacifiCorp. While I have encountered challenges in my current role, I also recognize the company's potential and that my most recent experience is not necessarily reflective of other teams within the business. I hope to see positive changes in the future that will make this an even better place to work.

My role is to support (through technical/engineering background) our system operators and front-line employees,e.g. technicians, switching personnel, and other professional craftsmen and craftswomen. Previously in design related to substations and transmission lines.

When looking solely at return-on-investment, you cannot dispute Berkshire's success over many many years. What is not being reported is these profits coming at the expense of employees and the end customers who are not getting what they pay for in a power system. Essentially the communities in which PacifiCorp operate are getting poorer to make Berkshire investors richer.

Power Engineering is a very interesting occupation with opportunities for career-long learning. Unfortunately at PacifiCorp, your only chance for advancement in dollars and influence is through the management ranks. Since Berkshire made so much money through the insurance business, it rewards those who appear to be reducing risk through producing countless spreadsheets. And since Insurers make money by denying claims, guess what they do with the electric grid. Unfortunately for Power Engineers, this is not our specialty. Previously the company reimbursed employees taking technical coursework related to their job... that is no more. Hundreds of engineers have quit for greener pastures in the last 5+ years. Instead of supporting employee productivity, I would speculate that a massive chuck of the ratepayer's money is going into this giant spreadsheet factory, so PacifiCorp can think it looks better in front of the various state utility commissions. Each step of the company endorsed Plan, Measure, Execute, Correct cycle is incomplete. Right or wrong, the whole operation is to avoid regulatory violations, so Berkshire can collect the full allotted sum from each state and get the executives massive bonuses. This is PacifiCorp.

Pros: Decent retirement and health benefits package
Neutral: Depending on who you work for, could be tolerable or a nightmare
Cons: Corporate whiplash with remote work; pre-Covid for corporate roles it was really up to manager discretion; early-Covid people were told they could work remote if they took a 10% pay cut (excuse me?); mid-Covid people were told they could work remote and there was no pay cut, and this was a permanent change…people moved away for various reasons and things were fine; late-Covid the company reverses course and requires everyone return or they will lose their job… first it’s 3x/week, now it’s 5x/week with the promise of a weekly pancake and free soda pop on tap; employees are treated like children. You will never have the staffing needed, when there are not enough people to get the work done, you will be working insane hours; Upper management does not care at all, as long as you make them look good they do not care how it’s getting done or even if it’s right— there are some massive egos that work there that do absolutely nothing for the company and strut around like Buddy the Elf all day; Expect zero respect for the work that you do, or your dignity as a human—you are absolutely expendable and the powers that be protect each other— they will stay in power, even if they are unethical— look to the career senior leaders in bedazzled jeans, those people do nothing and will stop at nothing to seek revenge on you, if they feel like it. And it will set up this dystopian culture of fear…once you see it happen to one great employee, you know you are just a sitting duck and it’s always duck season.

I began at the PacifiCorp Customer Contact Center shortly after the company was taken over by MidAmerican Energy (Berkshire Hathaway).  Ordinarily this is a time when jobs are cut, so this was a promising sign.

However over the years, what wasn't cut in jobs was cut in benefits and employee appreciation.  Despite hours of meetings about customer service culture (Fish!, Service from the Heart) these initiatives were never followed through.  Employees were never empowered to make changes; and when employees suggested changes they were met with outright resistance.

Many employees were afraid to leave during the rough economic times, because the company did pay decent compared to other companies, and were willing to take the benefits cuts.  However, as the economy is getting better and our company is recognized as having the leading customer service of all national utilities, we are thanked with a combative President who demands more for less, and has all but said "If you don't like it, leave."  Morale is at an all time low, and management does not care in the slightest.

If you don't mind keeping your mouth quiet, PacifiCorp might be a good fit for you.  Don't rock the boat, don't say anything, don't question anything (even if the company is in the wrong), and you'll get along fine.

If you are someone that seeks a challenge, wants to see improvement, and wants to move up...move on.

* A typical day at work involved multiple management status meetings, with or without contractors and subcontractors; continuous updating and analysis of project schedule status, including maintaining a Master Schedule incorporating all information provided from all sources; development of scheduling models for new projects.
* I learned how transmission lines and substations really work, how to identify potential issues within procurement (long lead items), weather, muliple local, state and federal agency requirements when planning large power projects.
* Management was fair and reasonableand high expections for quality of work and caliber of employees.
* Co-workers were dependable, knowledgeable, from multiple industry backgrounds, worked as a team, always looking for new means, methods and processes to streamline projects.
* The hardest part of the job was the subdivision of duties to multiple positions that would normally be performed by one position, creating duplicative work for more than one person and difficulty getting exact same information from one source, to multiple sources.
* The most enjoyable part of the job was learning a new industry, developing new models and processes to streamline and maintain continuity between project types.

As Customer Service Professional I was on the phone 40 hours plus mandatory overtime as needed.  Calls were first company contact calls from customers. Rapport with customers is extremely important.

We received six weeks of excellent training with emphasis on system navigation and how to interact with customers in all situations.  
 We worked in a friendly co-operative culture with peers and management.  

The hardest part of the job was working collections and disconnecting someones power after exhausting all efforts to workout all possible solutions.

The most enjoyable part of the job was interaction with our customers and being able to satisfy customer needs.

Customer Service is my Forte and I really enjoyed the work.

I had 100% satisfaction scores to alleviate the need for further incoming calls regarding the issues I handled.

I would still be working had I not been forced by failed medical analysis of my problem until I had run out of disability.  It turned out I needed both hips replaced to end extreme pain.  

I really loved my job.  I truly miss being part of this facility.

I have a great mechanical ability, with safety awareness a priority, in all aspects of power plant systems.  We diagnose, and repair any of the typical problems that arise in power production.  We then set up a tag-out and safety tail-board with operations personnel.  Communication and discussion is imperative to smooth working relationships.  
PacifiCorp has a history of providing us with modern equipment to help our repairs, as well as health and welfare systems above and beyond.  I was an industrial EMT, fire brigade member, rope rescue team leader, hazmat technician and safety team member.  We had overwhelming interest in these aspects of safety, which shows a willingness to help each other.  
Directing personnel has become a part of my job, having spent much of my last 6 years filling in for my front line supervisor. That requires a basic use of SAP, our work based computer system.

This company has steadfastly engaged in creating a hostile work environment for its skilled high value employees with ill conceived and ill advised harassment and punitive decrees, edicts and policies!

Further they take a perverse delight in destroying a work location by foisting unskilled, not properly vetted , overweight, exceeding safe ratings of ladders, are physically unable to enter into tight work spaces behind control panels,highly unsavory/ unhygienic employees down the throats of their top technicians which leads to multiple consequences:
1. The  High value employee/Technician quits the company in utter disgust and:
2. Other remaining highly trained Senior technicians are forced to relocate elsewhere within the company!
Result:  the quality of the workplace suffers, the morale of the remaining employees suffers, the reliability of the power system is adversely affected and compromised!

My work day begins at 6:30AM.  I have prioritized my tasks beginning with what needs to be done that day.  I have time set aside to complete applications, answer email and telephone calls, work on special projects, and writing process documents that provide detailed information about my job duties.  I have learned a great deal about being an administrative coordinator, and would like to advance my knowledge.
The most enjoyable part of this job is interacting with both internal and external customers.  The hardest part of this job is that the department is completely disorganized.  There is more time spent in meetings with a manager discussing the massive backlog of work rather than creating the solution to complete it.  There are solutions that employees are not allowed to implement without management approval.

PacifiCorp's mission is to delivery low cost electric services to customers in 6 Western states. The utility business is highly regulated at a State and Federal level, however the business manages to be innovative and at the leading edge in electric supply generation, transmission and delivery to insure the customer's needs are met quickly, efficiently and at the lowest possible cost.

Given the regulatory burden the company bears, internal work requirements and processes may seem restrictive to some, however, this is driven by the regulatory requirements coupled with a business plan that seeks to control and contain costs, not as a means to restrict employees or their particular approach to completing daily assignments.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Journeyperson lineperson 55 salaries reported	$59.28 per hour
Service coordinator 20 salaries reported	$30.09 per hour
Distribution manager 8 salaries reported	$134,663 per year
Developer ii 16 salaries reported	$110,229 per year
City engineer 6 salaries reported	$24.58 per hour

Working at PacifiCorp: Company Overview and Reviews

PacifiCorp

PacifiCorp Ratings

Popular jobs at PacifiCorp

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected