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Lincoln Electric

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Awful place to work - Engineer Lincoln Electric Employee Review

1.0
Jan 2, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Engineer peers are some of the best I've worked with, that's about the extent of the positives of this company.

Cons

I've been debating what to write here. I worked at Lincoln for 6 years, and the bottom line is that it has become a truly miserable place to work. Just take a look at the reviews for the last 6 months of 2016 and you will see what I mean. The management is completely out of touch with their employees and EVERYONE is miserable. There will be a mass exodus in 2017. My advice, for what it’s worth: if you can't find another job then stay here for 1-2 years to get some experience on your resume but get out as soon as you can. 2017 is going to be even worse. They changed the benefits system and healthcare is a complete rip-off (it's a self-funded plan) and they only recently re-instated 401k matching after suspending it for most of 2016. The bonus system is a complete joke. If you don’t know what I mean, this is how it works: Say the market rate for an engineer is 60k. They will pay you an annualized salary of 30-40k and make the rest up at the end of the year in a lump sum “bonus” payment. This bonus is calculated by taking your base salary throughout the year (30k) and multiplying it by the bonus payout and your performance rating. This bonus payout is announced at the end of the year and is based on how well the company did and can be anywhere from 50-70%. The performance rating is given by your manager. More on that later. So say the payout for 2016 is 50%, and you got 95% rating, your total pre-tax bonus is roughly (35,000 * 0.95 * 0.50 = 16, 625), meaning your total annual salary is (35, 000 + 16, 625 = 51, 625). Also, the healthcare plan costs are taken out of this bonus payment. For 2017 it is 11k for a family plan. So you can see that they have significant control over your final salary. Essentially it is not a bonus system but a deferred compensation system that gives the company a handbrake on salary payments if the economy goes down, like it did in 2016. Combine this with a broken performance rating system and you have a complete debacle of a compensation system. To cut a very long story short, the performance rating system is not based on your technical capabilities or what you do/how much you do. It is based purely on whether or not the various managers in the department like you or not. Think about that for a second. People that you have nothing to do with, and have no idea about what you might be doing there, have a serious effect on your end of year salary. All in all it has made for a very miserable and toxic work environment, and there are no signs of it improving. I should mention career planning here too: there is none, and I mean zero. Nepotism runs strong here, and there are a number of incompetent middle managers that have managed to float to the top simply by being there the longest. I strongly recommend that you look elsewhere for employment, especially if you have marketable skills such as engineering or IT. It’s simply not worth it to your mental health to expose yourself to this kind of toxic work climate. You have been warned!

Explore other reviews about Lincoln Electric

5.0
Mar 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

great development opportunities and employees

Cons

bureaucracy and pay not reflected in performance

2.0
Mar 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Lincoln Electric is an organization in the midst of significant transformation. Under CEO Steve Hedlund, the company is operating with a markedly different leadership philosophy than under prior leadership. The pace of change is fast and highly visible, which has created both opportunity and strain across the organization. The environment is dynamic but also complex. Many teams are navigating shifting priorities, evolving structures, and unclear processes. There is a high degree of ambiguity, and process discipline is still maturing in several areas. For some leaders, this creates room to build, shape, and influence. For others, particularly those who prefer clarity, established infrastructure, and strong cross-functional alignment, the environment may feel disorganized and taxing. Culturally, the organization is competitive. Senior leaders are often highly focused on positioning their own functions and succession trajectories, which can limit collaboration and mentorship. Feedback mechanisms are not consistently structured, and communication can sometimes occur indirectly rather than through transparent dialogue. Individuals who require hands-on development, coaching, or strong sponsorship may find limited formal support. Workloads tend to be heavy relative to available resources, and internal capability varies by function. Leaders who thrive here are typically those comfortable operating independently, driving change without perfect information, and managing through ambiguity.

Cons

That said, for executives seeking accelerated visibility and a shorter path to advancement—particularly given ongoing turnover at senior levels—the environment can present real opportunity. Those who are resilient, politically astute, and energized by transformation may find the experience career-accelerating. In summary, Lincoln Electric is best suited for leaders who are self-directed, comfortable with change, and motivated by building in imperfect conditions. It may be less aligned for professionals seeking structured development, stable systems, or collaborative mentorship-driven cultures.

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