In 2014, Cisco identified a gap in recognition across its global workforce—leading to inconsistent morale and limited visibility into employee impact.
The Solution
Partnering with Workhuman, Cisco launched Connected Recognition, a peer-to-peer program where employees could nominate colleagues across 80+ countries for embodying Cisco’s values.
The Approach:
- Employees nominate one another any time, with awards ranging from badges to financial bonuses
- The system is embedded into the flow of work—accessible and visible across global teams
- Leadership reinforced the program’s visibility through regular town hall highlights and newsletter stories
The Results:
- 85% of employees either gave or received recognition within the first year
- 48% of awards came from peers—not managers—proving recognition culture wasn’t top-down
- Cisco tracked improved discretionary effort, lower attrition, and stronger manager-employee alignment
Key Learning:
Recognition programs work best when they are easy, visible, and tied to values—not just outcomes.
