Cisco Systems GmbH Reviews

Pros

excellent work experience, surrounded by hard working people, some of the best in the industry, above market average compensation packages

Cons

long hours, sometimes extending into weekends. high stress environment if not managed properly

Advice to Senior Management

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Pros

- Often great team & atmosphere
- Virtual workplace - work from anywhere anytime
- Awesome parties (unless they are cancelled due to budget constraints)

Cons

- Environment has become quite political
- Development plans with HR are virtually non existing
- Cisco has become just another company - many things that made working at Cisco so special have been regulated away / lost with financial crisis

Advice to Senior Management

- Regain the connection to the people in the field, Cisco does not rule the world

Pros

Trust culture, empowerment, flexibility, opportunity to try new roles, full of very talented people most of whom continually go the extra mile.

Cons

Complete lack of work/life balance, sickening references to "the Cisco family" when people are getting laid off, all of the perks have been removed, no promotions, no salary-increases....and yet the executives are rewarding themselves handsomely. Comes across as a complete lack of respect for their "family members". Big company culture has crept in and it the time to get things done is demoralizing.

Advice to Senior Management

Start to compensate, recognize and promote your staff according to the responsibility that you entrust them with. A pat on the back is NOT enough.

Pros

Benefits, culture and good peers

Cons

NO personal development , NO training, no career, no future as technical professional.

Advice to Senior Management

do more and talk less. You should care more about individuals and their personal development.

Pros

Cisco still has benefits a lot of other companies do not offer. The Flexible worktime where you can plan your day yourself. Nice company cars and a good pension plan.

Cons

All Benefits besides that (pros) have been completely cut. No more Trainings. No more travel whatsoever. No more meetings with colleagues. No more Global events. No more Fruits and Beverages. No more promotions. No more Awards. No more Stock Options. And many more...

Pretty much anything that has been a differenciator from the competition has been cut. With no future to be reintroduced. Also the communication about this was really unprofessional and badly done. The demotivational factor was and is very high.

Advice to Senior Management

Find a bit of measurement in cutting benefits in times of crisis. It is not always helpfull to cut benefits without thinking. The employee starts to do a 9 to 5 Job instead of showing dedication if Cisco can not contrast itself from others.

Pros

Flexibility is probably the key benefit to working at Cisco. We have the ability (and also the responsibility) to manage our work/life in whatever why we feel is appropriate. We are measured on results, and not (always) on being politically visable.

Cons

We are not as good at giving feedback as we would like to believe. Cisco is very open in giving positive feedback, and if something goes very wrong, we are very open addressing it and improving on it.
However when things run 'ok' the organisation never really takes time to feedback and improve on it.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep it up.