Lionbridge Reviews

Pros

At Lionbridge you are an independent contractor, so you set your own hours. I have two small children and am a stay-at-home mom so this is very convenient. You can log in anytime day or night to work and can work for 5 minutes or two hours. Most of the work is interesting and I enjoy it. And it is great to be able to work from home.

Cons

The only downside is that some of the work takes you longer to complete than the time allowed, so in reality you are not getting paid the full hourly rate. Also, you only get paid once per month.

Advice to Senior Management

I think you need to Increase the time allowed for certain tasks. Also, it would be nice to have an 'online chat' option for questions that may arise. Sometimes it takes too long to get a response to my emails or I get no response at all.

Pros

You get to work when you want and where you want as long as you log in a minimum of 10 hours per week. There are bonus weeks where you can earn more.

Cons

The work is a little boring but it can be fun.
Somewhat tedious, but not hard at all.
Only paid once a month.

Pros

Team and colleagues are great. Job after couple of years of experience is easy. Work can be done from home.

Cons

There’s no salary increase even after 5+ years of experience. There’s no bonus or stock option. Career option is limited. No appreciation from managers.

Advice to Senior Management

Work ethic would be better if employees got paid better. The employee is not motivated enough to come up with innovative ideas.

Pros

If you can actually manage to get a full-time position, you get paid time off and benefits.

Cons

Where do I even start? Lionbridge will hire almost anyone, so the level of competence is generally low. If you are competent, expect to pick up the slack of many others around you. You will not be rewarded for the extra effort unless you somehow get lucky.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep more open communication channels and pay your employees a better wage.

Pros

Still thinking...... oh yeah, the work can be challenging and the co-workers for the most part all try and work as a cohesive team to deliver the best quality. Client companies are usually very happy with the deliverables, Job satisfaction on the personal level exists for those who keep putting their personal best out there.

Cons

No such thing as job security or a living wage. You will keep hearing how margins are 30+% each quarter and had a great quarter but it falls short of expectations. Many companies would be handing out bonuses on 30% margins in this economy. Lionbridge has been successful in retaining bright people as flex employees with NO benefits in the way of insurance, paid time off, or promotional opportunities. Billing rates for testers are as high as 4x that what they pay flex-poolers. This company has NO conscience at the top.

Advice to Senior Management

Fight for your employees advancement in pay and position, not just yours. Without your employees, most of you would be out of work and as time passes, you will start seeing the exodus of good employees unless things change for the better.

Pros

The people that work at Lionbridge are professional and hardworking. They are willing to answer questions, assist others, and care about the job that they do.

Cons

The lack of interest from senior management. People are not treated like individuals but almost as if they were disposable. The emphasis is on the money and constant numbers crunching. It makes it difficult to put forth 100% on the job when you feel as if it isn't recognised or appreciated. It's also difficult when all that matters is not the quality of work (or how well the job is performed) but what percentage of profit is going to be made.

Advice to Senior Management

My advice to the leadership in Lionbridge is that it doesn't take money to grant hardworking employees respect for their contribution to profit margins. Respect cannot be monitorised and therefore costs nothing. It is the global work of all employees that generates profits. Showing recognisition of this fact would enhance a lot of employee's job appreciation and enhance their perception of Lionbridge as an employer. As one other reviewer has said - it is not enough to put such sentiments in annual reviews. That is talking the talk. Lionbridge's senior management needs to walk the walk, and that means real recognition for work well done. Respecting one's employees can't be faked.

Pros

1.Middle management is very good and motivates innovation in the workplace.
2.Chance for advancement is real at Lionbridge even though on site at a vendor.
3. A good place to learn a salable skill.
4. Lionbridge continues to grow and seems to be a long term opportunity for employment.
5. Good smart people work for Lionbridge.
6. Local manager genuinely cares for the people working for him.

Cons

1. Pay is lower than other like companies in the area.
2. HR is horrible!!!!
3. VP's and above seem only interested in revenue rather than quality.
4. Middle management needs to visit more often to address entire team.

Advice to Senior Management

Get a real HR department that actually wants to help the employee in the field. Re-examine pay as it relates to other like companies in the area.
It's easy to take swipes at your employer but Lionbridge is a stable place to work if you can handle the low pay.

Pros

I can't think of any. On the other hand, I guess I shouldn't complain, as least I have a job.

Cons

Below market salaries and no bonus/reward system.
Only executives get stock options/bonus. It's not like they're the only one doing the work!
Too much politics between departments. Lack of communications.
Those IT guys think they own the company and run over everyone's life. But actually they'are the one who screws everyone up, especially the remote offices, they don't get any decent support.

Advice to Senior Management

Reward your low level employees with bonus/ESPP/options program.
Restructure the IT department. Make them more responsive and supportive.

Pros

1. Rather stable for some especially if you're based in lower cost countries
2. Interesting initiatives
3. Lots of things to learn if you are keen

Cons

1. Not too employee focused
2. Lack of Human Resource
3. Communications can be better
4. Closed circles in certain aspect

Advice to Senior Management

Consider putting Employees first rather than somewhere down the line. People can be the company's greatest asset or worst enemies when they join the competitor. Consider boosting the strength of HR department/processes. Improve internal communications and processes across different units.

Pros

Once you really get an assignment, they pay generously
It is a top 10 LSP and so always a good reference in your CV

Cons

They do not even bother wasting your time, sending you excessive e-mails by obviously underworked and bored regional managers who ask you for free support for agency application but then somebody else will get the assignment by Lionbridge in the end.
Asking to actually pay a basic fee for accessing TranslationWorkspace and then waiting endlessly for empty promises to get jobs is in fact a knock in the face of any freelancer wanting to work full-time and earn at least enough for basic monthly living.
If you have questions in advance, some project mangers will not hesitate to cancel on you spontaneously after spending unpaid hours with job clarifications.
Working freelance for Lionbridge is sometimes like walking a revolving door. You believe to be in, but then your' re in fact out most of the time and when your are strugling to accept this, you will be taken in again, but only for some time until this starts all over again, until it leaves you exhausted but in fact you have walked nowhere. If you do not need the pay urgently, just skip this experience.
Getting late invoices paid is also sometimes too much dependent whether you are still friendly or already feeling fed up from the endless unpaid bureacracy that they are confronting you with for 1 hour jobs once in a while.
Accepting occasional small jobs does not pay off as they will not necessariliy give you more regular work.

Advice to Senior Management

I could not even begin to decide where to start with advice.