Nortel Networks Reviews in Toronto, ON Area

Pros

With perks like an on site bank, gym with rock climbing wall, meditation spaces, etc., it seemed like the org really supported its employees.

Cons

In such a large company, it's easy to find yourself in an unimportant position in an unimportant department in an unimportant arm of the org.

Advice to Senior Management

I would advise the Nortel Networks management team to focus less on cute perks designed to attract employees. There was a lot of waste.

Pros

The people I work with, my customers and the opportunity for advancement.

Cons

Currently, the only downside is that the press, particularly the Canadian press, is crucifying us. We need support from the public, employees and our customers if we are to come out of this situation.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep encouraging the employees through recognition and advancement.

Pros

If you like to travel it can be very interesting. Some of the products are excellent. Some of the engineers are 100% dedicated to serving internal and external customers, however, management specializes in email.

Cons

Management is very incompetent. Currently, they are being driven to save money, not make money. They can drive a 40 hour work week when the product and resources require 60, but they can't create a viable product plan.

Advice to Senior Management

Make a plan, and work it. I have seen a continued Soviet style era of failed 5 Year Plans every 1.5 years. What are you doing? Why do all of your plans always fail? Project Management no longer (years ago, a PM had to come from I&C) understands the Product Scope, so it is impossible to create a project plan that is accurate.

Nortel will create an engineer resource plan for a deployment, but not have a project plan. I am not a PMP, but is it logical to even know what your resource plan should be if you can't create a project plan?

Pros

Pay is a little above average. Some lower level managers are good and hard working people.

Cons

You need mega education to advance, and even then there are limited opportunities. Not many high level managers seem to care. Too many processes and certifications for things that are not even related to the job I preform.

Advice to Senior Management

Start listening to the people who have been around, and meet the customer face to face. Practice what you preach, meaning, save money save money, is a mantra, but I see a lot of waste of funds at the executive level.

Pros

Balance work and personal life. It is a big company, so you have the opportunity to move around and work in different area. For some luck one, it may be in different cities and even countries. Quite a few of my friends has moved to US in Florida, Dallas and Atlanta. A few moved to Calgary, unfortunately, the Calgary office shut down this year. Most of the the people were lt go. Again, it used to be a great company to work for.

Cons

cost cutting, not enought resources

Advice to Senior Management

not to blanket staff reduction

Pros

Nortel still has a lot of qualified people even though it lost over 60,000 employees since 2000. Nortel also has a huge customer base not only in the enterprise side but also in the carrier side. In addition, Nortel is a technology-driven company which is good for engineers.

Cons

Nortel is facing severe competition against its competitors such as Motorola, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Huawei, ZTE.. Even though Nortel is good at technology itself, it is not good at production at low-cost and marketing. Nortel as a brand does not have a power anymore.

Advice to Senior Management

Strategic alliance with other vendor or M&A will be necessary to compete with other competitors.

Pros

Good co-workers, great work-from-home/telecommuting arrangements, reasonable time off (e.g.taking vacation days on short notice)

Cons

Continual layoffs, low employee morale, stagnant salaries, too much out-sourced to countries where the job is being done very poorly.
Benefits have been reduced regularly; stock price is stagnant

Advice to Senior Management

Start rewarding the good people (e.g. SPOT awards); get rid of the mandatory "10% under-perform" ratings; stop the failed outsourcing attempts and hire good people