Balancing your life around work - that's work life balance at Lockheed.
Pros
* Salary is significantly higher than the local average. * Steady work - in fact, you'll probably get more work than you bargained for. * For some, working in a small facility of less than 300 employees may be desirable.
Cons
* It's the only high technology based industry in the local area - so be prepared to relocate to either Dallas or Houston if you seek similar employment opportunities. * Work / life balance is practically nonexistent, even though the local facility is supposed to work a 4/10 work week (four ten hour days). Typically, salaried employees are expected to work five days a week, as Lufkin TX must support production schedules at the main site of Dallas TX (Dallas TX works a 9/80 schedule). Worse, salaried employees are required to provide "casual time" each week they work - that is overtime over 40 hours that is uncompensated. Casual time is a metric used to determine who is worthy of a merit increase over the standard 2.5% yearly increase. * The way the Lockheed Martin Total Healthcare plan is structured, higher compensated employees are forced to subsidize lower paid employees medical premiums. New hires may want to consider purchasing their own health insurance, as the plan offered to the Lufkin employees is awful. * The good 'ole boy network is alive and well - if you are not part of the "network", you better forget about any career opportunities or support. * The facility has a very high turn-over of personnel, and its hard to keep skilled talent at this facility. Most personnel who relocate to accept a position with Lockheed Martin in Lufkin typically do not stay more than two or three years. The remoteness of Lufkin, the weird liquor laws (blue laws), and the business culture of working ungodly hours a week take a toll on employees and their families. * It is pointless to give a two weeks notification of your intent to resign - as employees are often terminated immediately upon giving notice. Often this creates a situation where management unwittingly makes a voluntary termination suddenly becomes an involuntary termination. * Limited career growth in this small facility - don't expect promotions, unless someone in management transfers to another Lockheed Martin facility. * There is adversarial relationship between management, salaried personnel, and hourly personnel. The honeymoon of being a new hire end very quickly, as you will get caught in the office politics. * The facility is totally dependent upon government contracts for work - there are no commercial or civilian business pursuits manufactured at this facility to offset downturns in government contract work.
