This article was originally published in Forbes.
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When you are ranked No. 1 on Fortune’s list of the World’s Best Workplaces two years in a row, you know you are doing something right as a company. When you land the top spot in during a global pandemic and massive economic turmoil, you have achieved something extraordinary.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Francine Katsoudas, chief people officer at Cisco, a global leader in IT, networking and cybersecurity solutions. We talked about Cisco’s journey to the “Best Workplace ” ranking and how they plan to move forward into and beyond.
Rasmus Hougaard: Congratulations on Cisco being named the World’s Best Workplace again in . As Chief People Officer, how does that make you feel?
Francine Katsoudas: I feel a tremendous amount of pride. It's wonderful to see Cisco’s journey. I look back on where we were, five, six, seven years ago, and I see our people feeling so much more engaged. I see their pride and that's amazing.
Hougaard: It is great to get the positive recognition of the culture and people-centered priorities which Cisco has embraced for many years. Now, where do you go from here?
Katsoudas: First, we use the recognition to really challenge ourselves. We can say, ‘How would a world's best company handle this issue?’ And we push ourselves to rethink the opportunities that we have and to use that recognition to do more. Part of how we challenge ourselves is to do a good job listening and being open to what our people are telling us.
When it comes to listening well, Cisco isn’t just relying on good intentions. According to Francine, “We use sentiment analysis during meetings to understand what the chat comments or questions are telling us, and then afterward we ask for feedback and insights as well.” And, with data-powered, real-time insights into the mood state of its teams and leaders, Cisco can act with immediacy to roll out solutions at scale. In the spring of when much of the world was feeling overwhelmed and anxious about the unknown, Katsoudas and her team saw that their people were having a hard time stepping away from work. To combat this, they created the idea of a “day-for-me” — a planned company-wide day off for employees to step away and put themselves first.
Katsoudas: What's happened since is that our employees now start to trigger us when they think we need another “day-for-me”. I think we've had three to four over the last six months, and I'll be listening for when employees start to say it's time for another.
Secondly, we know that there are employees who don't experience Cisco as the world's best workplace. And we know that if an employee can have a positive experience with their leader and their team, that can reshape the way they look at the company. And so, we focus on our leaders. If our leaders are in service of their people, focusing on the strengths of their people, playing to their strengths, that will make an enormous difference.
Hougaard: was a year that tested all of us. Many companies stepped forward in new ways to confront the challenges and help their employees. What initiative did Cisco undertake in that you are most proud of?
Katsoudas: The one thing that really stands out has been our response to the social justice issues and the creation of our Social Justice Beliefs and Actions. The beliefs inspire us to work towards a higher goal of what we can be as a company. One of our beliefs is ‘Technology for Good.’ We know that technology can be used in a very positive way to empower people and communities. The beliefs are then coupled with very tangible actions that I think will be hard for us to achieve, and I think that's good.
Last Fall, Cisco released its Social Justice Beliefs and Actions framework which includes 13 bold commitments, including a 25% increase in the representation of African-American/Black employees at all levels of the company by , the launch of a $50 million venture fund to invest in startups with diverse founders and leadership teams, and the commitment of $50 million over give years to increase the diversity in its partner ecosystem.
Hougaard: Three years ago, Potential Project and Cisco began working together to build Cisco Mind Sets. Can you talk a bit about why you initiated this program?
Katsoudas: When we started, there was this realization that we needed to help our people build resilience. People were struggling with how to manage the day-to-day from a work perspective and then to be their best selves in everything else that they did.
We knew that if we were not careful, we were going to find our lives run by transactions and activities. So, there was this need to really center and focus. And I look at all of those elements now, and I think, ‘my goodness, I can't think of a time when we've needed that type of foundation more.’
The Cisco Mind Set programs have helped thousands of Cisco employees to understand how their minds are wired and how to train their minds so that desired behaviors and outcomes have the space to emerge. Thousands have seen improvements in work/life balance and the ability to be present and focus. For Cisco, there has been a 32% decrease in employee absenteeism.
Hougaard: The Cisco Mind Set program has focused on building resilience within the Cisco workforce. As you look at the year ahead and the continuing challenges, what other mindsets do you think will be important?
Katsoudas: From a mindset perspective, I would say that resiliency is still paramount. And I think it's important for our people to also have empathy. We are now talking about empathy as a superpower, and we are going to do everything that we can to cultivate empathic leaders and ensure that our systems are built towards empathy.
I think it is also so important for us to continue to focus on mental health. We've been on a campaign for the last two and a half years to really break down the stigma associated with mental health. I'm so impressed by the leaders that have stepped up to tell their story. When we talk about an issue and then our people tell us their own stories, we feel like we have done something right because there's a trust element, and they're letting us in.
Hougaard: Cisco has always been a very people-centered company. Why is this so important for you and the organization?
Katsoudas: Cisco and other companies can be differentiated in how they treat their people, how they see their people, and how they help their people to have really good experiences. We know that if we take care of our people, they're going to take care of the business.
Sometimes people will try to tease out business and people, and clearly, I think they are one and the same. Your business is your people, right? You want to have an environment that brings out the best.
What we know is that when someone plays to their strengths, they are going to be so much more creative in the day-to-day. They're going to be more productive, and they're going to feel a lot more positive about their life in general.
The power is when your business strategy and your purpose and all of your people practices come together. And that's really hard to do because the world continues to change, but I think those are the things that are most meaningful.
Hougaard: I am sure there a strong desire to remain the world’s best workplace. What will you be focusing on in to achieve this?
Katsoudas: We're going to continue to focus on teams because we believe that's how we win. And every team needs an amazing leader, and that will absolutely be our focus. We will take all of the analytics and learnings of the past four years and really push into the understanding of teams even more.
We're going to continue to focus on our people and their lives. Sometimes we like to say we care about our people, even on the weekend. We know that what they do at Cisco is a part of who they are, and so our ability to think about them holistically is incredibly important and will guide how we care about and support them.
Hougaard: What advice would you give to your counterparts in other companies who want to develop a great workplace?
Employees can experience physical therapy from the comfort of their home. Sword is a program to help overcome back, joint, or muscle pain. This program combines the expertise of physical therapists with computer vision so the physical therapist can use data to better tailor the experience.
Menopausal symptoms, including poor concentration and memory, tiredness, and hot flashes can cause moderate to severe difficulties. Maven offers free personalized support—from perimenopause to postmenopause, with 24/7 virtual access to unlimited coaching and education, help identifying symptoms early and unlimited access to specialists, content, and mental health support.
We believe that the more employees know about their health, the better decisions they’ll make. Employees covered in our self-insured medical plans can request genetic testing to identify changes in the genes associated with developing breast and/or ovarian cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2), simply because it’s important to them. We encourage all employees to get pre-test counseling from their plan to understand the information that might come from their results. All U.S. Cisco medical plans already offer this testing when medically necessary.
We offer one-on-one coaching for both diabetes prevention and management (for those already living with diabetes). Our diabetes prevention program connects employees and their family members with a personal coach trained in diabetes prevention to support lifestyle changes and a healthy diet. Employees or family members who have already been diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes get real-time advice and coaching through our partner Livongo to make managing diabetes easier.
Cisco provides private rooms for employees to breastfeed or breast pump at work at campus sites and in compliance with applicable local laws. Depending upon the campus headcount, rooms are either dedicated or partially dedicated. Cisco's private rooms are thoughtfully equipped with a locking door, table surface and chair, mini refrigerator, sink with warm water, and Wi-Fi.
Cisco is pleased to provide our U.S. employees with a leave of absence designated to aid employees who want to step away for one to two years. The program is designed to provide employees with alternative leave options for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation from work, and is distinct from family, disability, and other forms of leave. This leave is available to employees after two years of employment with Cisco, and under certain working circumstances.
College Coach gives employees free access to college admissions professionals who can advise them on the right type of savings vehicles, navigating the financial aid process, and managing student loans. College Coach also offers individualized guidance to help employees’ high schoolers with college selection, admissions essays, interviews, and more.
For a low paycheck contribution, employees can enroll in MetLife Prepaid Legal and get access to expert legal advice. MetLife attorneys can help with issues related to:
Employees can also choose the MetLife Legal Plan Plus Parents to add coverage for certain services for their parents, in-laws, stepparents, and grandparents.
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Most of us will be caregivers at some point, whether as a sole caregiver or part of a care team. In either role, Cisco employees have access to personalized and dedicated support while managing complex and ongoing care needs for themselves or a loved one. Wellthy’s Caregiving Concierge helps employees navigate situations like supporting an aging parent, a child with special needs, a spouse/partner with a new diagnosis, or a loved one who has suffered an accident. Employees can also use this service for their own ongoing or acute care needs. Services include:
CareLinx is an online matchmaker that helps employees easily find and hire the right in-home caregiver for an adult family member. Employees answer a few questions about their needs, and an advisor helps find the perfect caregiver from their network of over 100,000 candidates. Employees can rest easy knowing that all CareLinx caregivers are background checked and covered with professional liability insurance. Cisco employees get the first four hours of care for free.
We care deeply about the physical and mental health of our people. That’s why we offer quality healthcare plans and comprehensive solutions to help our employees be their best.
Employees looking to improve their health, reach fitness goals, manage stress, and sleep better can access powerful resources. In the United States, our personal health coaching partner and wellness expert, Vida Health, helps employees determine and stick to their wellness goals, big or small. Employees have a choice of coaches with different backgrounds and coaching styles who work with them to build a personalized plan. Coaches offer expert guidance and motivation through video and consultation and in-app messaging.
Cisco Pavelka is a unique initiative that started as a grassroots movement in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region to help promote a culture of health and wellbeing. The Pavelka model focuses on four elements of health: Eat, Sweat, Think, and Connect. This initiative is now available to employees around the globe. Cisco Pavelka empowers employees to make healthy choices and create communities that inspire and motivate each other to make small and sustainable changes. Pavelka also offer a unique focus of enabling the wellbeing of leaders and teams. The goal is to create healthy, resilient teams by embedding wellbeing rituals into the workday that help teams thrive.
Our LifeConnections Health Centers (available at three of our largest campuses—San Jose, California; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina; and Bangalore, India) offer high-quality, integrated healthcare exclusively to Cisco employees and their families. The LifeConnections team focuses on “the whole you”—treating mind, body, and spirit. Employees and their family members can schedule same-day or future appointments for (services vary by location):
Our LifeConnections Fitness Centers turn fitness into fun. We offer no-cost virtual fitness classes for employees and families around the world, making it easy to add in a workout during the day. We offer classes such as P90X, Zumba, HIIT Express, full-body workouts, and more. In select on-campus locations, we feature technology-enabled fitness equipment so employees can manage their training program via the cloud, check , listen to podcasts, browse their favorite sites, and even attend Webex meetings while exercising. For a low or no monthly fee, employees can access the facility, group classes, personal training, and more.
With virtual visits, employees can see doctors from any computer or mobile device without having to leave the comfort of home. The doctors can diagnose and treat a wide range of nonemergency medical conditions and even write prescriptions—making it easy for our employees to get care when they need it.
Boosting financial confidence can do a lot to improve overall wellbeing. Our financial wellbeing assessment tool, available outside the U.S. and Canada, allows employees to assess four areas: budgeting, debt management, savings, and protecting finances. Upon completion a personalized wellbeing score and actionable next step to improve financial health are offered. In the U.S. and Canada employees have access to Alight Financial Path counselors who provide confidential, one-on-one counseling and can create a custom action plan.
Each year, Cisco holds a year-end shutdown. Employees in North America are required to take time off, and those around the world are encouraged to do the same. With so much of the workforce taking time off, it’s a great opportunity for employees to disconnect from the office and spend quality time with friends and family.
Cisco Mind Set teaches simple, cognitive strategies, grounded in mindfulness and science, that help boost mental stamina. Participants can conveniently choose from instructor-led courses or on-demand lessons to develop techniques that help strengthen resilience, focus, and adaptability, as well as optimizing their performance at work. Courses are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Canadian French.
People think, learn, and work differently. Honoring our uniqueness helps foster a more collaborative environment by supporting employees with ADHD, autism, and other types of neurodivergence. Neurodivergent employees have access to one-on-one expert coaching and tips on how to best leverage their unique strengths and address any workplace challenges they may be facing. They have access to skills-based training on improved organization, focus, time management, collaboration with colleagues, and more. Managers and colleagues can also access coaching to foster inclusive environments and better support and communicate with all employees who have a range of strengths and struggles.
Every family has a unique story—and we have benefits to support them all.
Cisco offers parental leave globally, also known as “Child Bonding Leave.” We offer paid time off for parents of newborn and newly adopted children to enjoy those precious moments. The amount of time an employee is eligible for is based on their caregiver role (primary or support role), not on their gender. While benefits vary by country, the minimum standard for time away to welcome a new child is 13 weeks for primary caregivers and four weeks for supporting caregivers. Additional time may be available based on the country in which an employee resides.
We want to help employees who dream of starting a family—whatever path they take to get there. Cisco provides reimbursement for:
Up to US$20,000 in qualified out-of-pocket adoption expenses per child. Covered expenses include court costs, agency fees, and attorney fees.
Up to US$20,000 in qualified surrogacy expenses per child. Covered expenses include many legal and administrative expenses and certain medical expenses for your surrogate.
Up to US$50,000 (lifetime maximum) for family planning expenses not related to medical necessity. Covered expenses include harvesting, freezing, and storage for eggs, sperm, and embryos, in vitro fertilization services, and donor services. (Due to U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules, employees must be enrolled in a Cisco medical plan when the expense is incurred and when the request is submitted.)
RethinkCare, a program that traditionally offered support to Cisco parents of children with a learning, social, or behavioral challenge, or a developmental disability such as autism, Down syndrome, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, has recently expanded their offering to support children of all abilities. Employees can schedule up to seven hours of free, one-on-one consultations per year to discuss their child’s specific needs. Rethink’s experts provide personalized guidance on topics such as improving motor skills, decreasing problem behaviors, addressing bullying, reducing screen time, and more. Rethink also offers evidence-based education and a rich library of skills-based content to help develop the emotional intelligence skills of all ages and abilities.
When regular caregiving arrangements fall through, employees have access to back-up care through Bright Horizons at affordable rates.
For children: Employees can request safe, reliable back-up care at a center or at home.
For adults: If regular plans fall through or a relative is released from the hospital, employees can get in-home back-up care, even if their relative doesn’t live with them. Caregivers can help with minor chores, housekeeping, meal preparation, and personal care.
Part of our purpose is recognizing and addressing different needs. Our transgender and nonbinary employees and family members worldwide can get a dedicated physician manager with expertise in navigating the healthcare system, connecting to the right providers, and even reaching out to doctors in advance of appointments to talk them through specific needs. Employees, spouses/domestic partners, children, parents, and parents-in-law can access this program whether enrolled in a Cisco medical plan or not.
Being there in the moments that matter is important. We offer support to plan for the big moments and to be there when they happen.
Employees and their families can get a free, independent medical opinion from physicians in whatever specialty they need. Leading experts from around the world review the case and offer diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Teladoc creates an easy-to-read summary that employees can share with a treating physician. Expert Medical Opinion helps employees feel calmer and more confident when facing a difficult diagnosis or treatment decision.
Balancing career and household responsibilities can be a challenge. We offer support for our employees who are caring for a loved one who has suffered an accident or is facing a health issue, and for employees who are assisting aging relatives. Solutions for Caregivers is offered through the EAP, provided by Optum. Employees who call are connected with a caring, experienced specialist who will listen to their needs, offer advice, and provide verified and personalized referrals to resources in their community.
All employees can take any day off within 10 days of their birthday to celebrate, on Cisco.
Becoming a grandparent is an exciting milestone. To help employees celebrate and support their loved ones during this special time, Cisco grandparents can take up to three paid days off within one year of the arrival of a new grandchild.
Our Employee Stock Purchase Program allows Cisco employees to use a portion of their salary to buy Cisco stock at a discount. Employees can purchase shares during an enrollment period twice per year and invest in Cisco's future.
Cisco offers different programs in different countries to help employees prepare for retirement and secure their financial future.
United States: The Cisco 401(k) plan lets employees reduce taxes now and save for the future. Employees can contribute up to IRS limits, and Cisco matches their contributions dollar-for-dollar, up to 4.5% of eligible pay. Employees can contribute pre-tax or on a Roth 401(k) basis.
Canada: The Cisco Registered Retirement Savings Plan helps employees save for retirement and reduce taxes. Employees can contribute up to 18% of eligible compensation pre-tax up to Canada Revenue Agency limits. Cisco matches contributions dollar for dollar, up to the first 4% of eligible compensation.
Outside the United States and Canada: Cisco offers a pension plan to employees in more than 30 countries.
We understand that our employees are also parents, colleagues, and community members. We make it easier for our people to support and help the people they love.
Cisconians care about their communities and the world around them. That’s why we empower them to support causes they care about through our Time2Give program. Employees get 10 paid days off each calendar year to volunteer for a nonprofit or school of their choice.
Life is unpredictable. Whether dealing with a death, illness, or a natural disaster, we make it easier for our employees to attend to significant life events and their families without worrying about work. With Critical Time Off, employees can take time off at full pay to deal with sudden, unexpected circumstances that require their undivided attention—without having to dip into regular paid time off. And for this benefit “family” is referred to in the broadest sense—as those whom an employee might rely on or who rely on them—so they can be there for the people closest to them.
To help with fulfilling civic responsibilities, Cisco employees get a paid day off to vote in major country elections.
Our Safe To Talk community offers mental health articles, videos, tips, and links to help each of us identify signs of struggle and offer support (at work and at home). The community is also a place where employees can share their personal mental health stories openly and honestly and check in on one another.
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