Culture, Community, and Capability: The Cisco Advantage
Clare Sim
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Cisco’s technology powers the Internet and connects the world securely. But in describing its corporate identity, Cisco says, ‘that’s not where our edge comes from. It comes from our people².
In Singapore’s technology sector, turnover is a significant challenge with rates much higher than other industries³. This is where employee retention at Cisco stands out, with 93% of its employees in Singapore planning to work there for a long time, outperforming the average Best Workplaces in Singapore™ in 2024 and typical companies:
For five consecutive years, from 2020 to 2024, Cisco Singapore ranked #1 or #2 on the Best Workplaces in Singapore™ list in the Medium category. In 2024 alone, Cisco was ranked #1 in 16 countries worldwide. In this feature, we turn to its employees to discover what sets Cisco apart.
Employees in Singapore have plenty to say about what they enjoy about the culture at Cisco, also known as its Conscious Culture. What does this mean?
Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy and Purpose Officer Francine Katsoudas explains, “The conscious culture work reinforces the fact that we want to activate every single employee. We want them to know that they own the culture, they play a big role, we’re all conscious of what we see around us. We want to be very transparent with the environment we have, the environment we want, and the type of experience that we all want to have on a day-to-day basis.”
Employees are all accountable, empowered, and expected to act in ways that create a positive, safe, and fulfilling workplace. This is partly facilitated by the communication cadence in Cisco. Executive leaders in Cisco provide monthly 60-minute sessions where they share transparent information to employees globally. Locally, managers hold weekly check-ins with employees who are encouraged to give honest feedback and concerns in a transparent discussion about work. 88% of Singapore employees say that they can ask leaders any reasonable question and get a straight answer. One employee says what makes Cisco unique is “great middle leadership” which translates to leaders understanding the challenges of individual contributors and doing their best to motivate, inspire and lead which also creates a good environment to work in.
The 2025 Employee Experience Trends by Qualtrics⁴ found that the technology sector in Singapore faces challenges around trust in leadership compared to the global average, where only about half surveyed believe their leaders prioritize employee well-being over short-term profits.
Cisco employees think differently – 93% say their leaders trust them to do good work without micromanaging them, outperforming the best workplace average of 92% and far exceeding typical Singapore companies:
“I believe that with our people, passion, and purpose, we will always be a company that cares for our customers and partners, our communities and the planet, and one that innovates and works hard to create a better, more connected, and inclusive future for all.”
–Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins in Cisco’s latest Purpose Report¹.
Multiple employee voices praise the sense of community in Cisco Singapore, with many agreeing that people have each other’s backs and are willing to help one another when needed. “You could ask anyone for help from the most senior leaders to your peers and all would go out of their way to help you,” writes one employee. An impressive 92% agree that people can be counted on to cooperate.
An example of how Cisco fosters a workplace for all is in providing coaching support for neurodivergent employees to empower them to leverage their strengths at work. Leaders also take pledges to sponsor a person different from themselves to support their career advancement.
Cisco extends this sense of community outwards as well, encouraging employees to give back to society and matching funds raised by employees. In 2022, 135 Cisco Singapore volunteers gave 405 hours of their time to Willing Hearts, the non-profit organization that prepares and distributes daily meals across Singapore⁵. Such efforts fast-tracked Cisco’s achievement of its goal to impact 1 billion people worldwide. Besides being on Singapore’s Best Workplaces List for 5 consecutive years, 2024 was also the fifth year in a row Cisco saw more than 80% of its global employees take action and support causes they stand for.
Cisco recognizes that community plays a vital role in adapting to change and driving innovation.
In Cisco’s Purpose Report, Francine explains, “We’re working to understand the impact of AI on real jobs and employees. Our new Teaming with AI program enables teams to experiment with AI to find new ways of driving productivity and innovation. One of the most important findings has been the power of community when pushing boundaries and crossing into new frontiers.”
92% of Cisco employees in Singapore agree that people adapt quickly to changes that facilitate success, and that they have opportunities for professional training and development. These are promising statistics given that in Aon’s 2025 Human Capital Employee Sentiment Study⁶, 29% of Singapore respondents reported not having confidence in their employers’ investments in training for future skill development.
Cisco Networking Academy provides upskilling for all employees on a range of subjects like entrepreneurship, cybersecurity, data science, professional skills, and programming. AI and adaptive assessments determine learners’ competencies across course content, allowing learners to identify their strengths and areas that need more attention. Learners also get access to job-matching services.
With its dedication to supporting employees’ development and anchoring them in community, Cisco has provided growth and a sense of meaning in the workplace that makes employees more likely to stay.
