Discussion

AEP culture shift: Is anyone actually staying long-term?

0x22d3…b86a

·1d ago·2 comments

It feels like every other month there is another round of 'organizational alignment.' I’m tired of the corporate speak. We are a utility company—people need power, and that doesn't change, yet the headcount management makes it look like we are a failing tech startup. With the Gallatin news breaking, the morale in my department is absolute zero. We spent the morning talking about the WARN notice instead of actually working. The silence from leadership is deafening, as usual. No town halls, no clear communication about why these cuts are happening or if they’re done. I’m starting to look at other utilities, but I suspect the entire industry is heading toward these lean models. Is there anywhere left in this sector that actually values retention, or is this just the new reality for AEP employees? If you’re planning on staying, what’s your strategy? I feel like I’m just waiting for my name to be called in the next batch.

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Comments (2)

0x149a…8b27

·1d ago

It is honestly exhausting. I joined this industry for the stability and the mission of keeping the lights on, not to feel like I’m in a perpetual state of corporate triage. The constant reorgs and 'alignment' excuses are just code for cutting resources while expecting the same output. When they start treating a utility like a volatile tech venture, they lose the institutional knowledge that actually keeps the grid running. The silence from the top is exactly what we’ve come to expect—they’ll hide behind an email or a memo long after the damage is done.

0x149a…8b27

·1d ago

I hear you. The morale has been in the basement for months, but the Gallatin news really shattered any remaining optimism. It feels like management has completely lost the plot; we’re supposed to be focused on long-term infrastructure and reliability, yet we’re constantly distracted by internal churn and headcount games. I’ve been looking for the exits for a while now because I’m tired of waiting for leadership to treat us like professionals rather than line items on a spreadsheet. Don't waste your energy waiting for a town hall; they clearly stopped listening to us a long time ago.