By now you’ve probably heard of the Great Resignation. That’s the term used to refer to the huge wave of Americans — about 33 million and counting — who have quit their jobs since spring 2021.
The phenomenon has many companies scrambling to attract and retain talent with enticements such as sign-on bonuses, senior roles for new hires, new benefits and more.
What is Cisco’s take on the Great Resignation?
For starters, it may be a misnomer. Many who are resigning from company A are being hired by companies B or C, drawn by tools and a culture that fit them better. Perhaps the Great Migration would be a more accurate label.
In addition, while there may be a global talent shortage, the Great Resignation is proving there's also a great deal of talent mobility. This is partly due to the rise of hybrid work, which democratizes access to work and allows companies — especially inclusive ones — to search for talent anywhere.
So how is Cisco responding to the Great Resignation through its hiring processes? And what is the company doing to attract top talent and to retain existing employees?
A new approach to hiring
In the world of hybrid work, location becomes virtually irrelevant. People previously restricted by mileage are now limited only by bandwidth and connection.
If fears of not finding the right job kept you from your dream of living in an Airstream trailer or a cabin in the woods, this could be your time to shine. As long as you have broadband access, you no longer need to work where you live, or even near where you live.
This is a plus for employers too, because it allows them to hire the right talent no matter the location. Companies like Cisco can now access a much wider talent pool by scaling their human resources abilities.
The Internet is key to this expanded reach. As Cisco’s innovations in networking infrastructure enable service providers to offer broadband and 5G/Wi-Fi 6 connectivity in areas that didn’t have them before, Cisco can hire people in places that were previously off the table.
However companies and brands view it, the Great Resignation is a time when their workforce is changing rapidly, and their hiring practices need to keep pace.
Attracting top talent
In order to attract and retain top talent that may be looking for new opportunities, companies that can offer the option of hybrid work have a vital edge.
People entering the workforce today place a premium on flexibility — the choice of working wherever they want on whatever devices they want.
Cisco offers this flexibility through collaboration tools like Webex by Cisco, which also secures its people and data — a must when workers and devices can be anywhere.
Cisco also woos workers, and aims to wow them, with the latest and greatest applications and technologies that empower them to be more productive.
In the words of Cisco’s Liz Centoni, EVP, Chief Strategy Officer and GM, Applications: “Brands have one chance to impress, so companies need to deliver the best, always-on, and trusted experience.”
The message is clear: Wherever you want to be, we’ll employ you, and we’ll make sure your connections are secure and your experience is seamless.
Of vital importance, too, is company culture. In the Great Resignation, talent wants to work at places that have a larger purpose. That makes Cisco’s mission to power an inclusive future for all a magnet for workers seeking opportunities that mesh with their values.
Ditto the company’s focus on sustainability and the well-being of the planet. That focus shows up in everything from sustainable building design to the power efficiency of Cisco Silicon One, the breakthrough silicon architecture that’s at the heart of Cisco’s strategy for an Internet for the future.
Connecting existing employees
Empowering teams is a top priority for Cisco both internally and for its customers. To that end, the collaboration tools and the application experience it provides its teams are big pluses in terms of retaining people.
One of those tools is Webex Hologram, which allows real-time, photorealistic holographic interactions. It goes beyond video conferencing, using augmented reality (AR) to close the gap between virtual and in-person collaboration for a truly immersive experience.
Cisco’s mission to power an inclusive future for all doesn’t just have far-reaching impacts in societies around the world. It also makes for a more inclusive experience for teams and individuals, remote or in office, taking part in meetings.
According to Cisco’s Eric Knipp, VP of Systems Engineering for the Americas, only about 6.4% of conference rooms are equipped with the bare minimum of video capabilities.
“If we're going to power an inclusive future for all, it means that the people in the conference room, the people in the home offices and the people on mobile devices need to be able to see each other, interact with one another and leverage capabilities,” Knipp says. “Things like real-time transcription services, real-time translation services and ensuring that gesture-based controls make everyone feel connected and that they have a voice in the conversation."
The Great Upgrade?
Some have called Great Resignation the Great Upgrade. And with good reason. After all, it depends on perspective.
For some workers, the Great Resignation is a time of new opportunity. For others, it’s a time of reevaluating their worth in the eyes of an employer.
For employers that invest in hybrid work and in becoming more inclusive, it can also be more of an opportunity than a calamity.
Whether you call it the Great Resignation or the Great Upgrade, we’re just at the beginning of something much bigger.
The Internet today serves as a critical lifeline for many. But according to Cisco's Purpose Report 2021, much of the world remains unconnected. An estimated 3.7 billion people, about half of the world’s population, lack access to the Internet, can’t afford it, or don’t have the skills to use it.
And when they’re all connected? Get ready for the greatest upgrade of them all.
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