Global technology business Cisco has put its values into action - investing in volunteer days and donation matching to empower employees and strengthen communities
At Cisco, ten is the magic number. Ten days of paid volunteer leave per year, $10,000 in matched charitable donations, all part of the company’s commitment to giving back.
It’s a bold offering, but for Brian Tippens, SVP, Chief Social Impact and Inclusion Officer at Cisco, it’s foundational to employee engagement and retention.
Cisco launched its ‘Time to Give’ program in 2016 with five volunteer days, later expanding it to ten after early enthusiasm made clear that the benefit resonated not only with those who used the time, but also with employees who valued simply knowing it was available.
“We saw so much enthusiasm from our team members, so much uptake from our communities globally, that we raised that from five days to 10 days,” Tippens says. “We see a significant portion of our employees taking advantage of that across a wide range of giving.”
“Even team members who don't take advantage of the 10 days still value having that opportunity. We know that a lot of our team members choose Cisco because of [the company’s] purpose, and so, it's a valued benefit,” he says. “At high level, our purpose as a company is to power an inclusive future for all. We can do things that are good for the world but also good for business.”
The potential benefits of volunteer programs aren’t limited to large companies like Cisco. When organizations encourage employee participation in community impact initiatives, they often see strong links to improved workforce outcomes. Employees who engage in volunteering tend to demonstrate higher individual performance, earn more frequent promotions, experience lower attrition rates and receive greater recognition and rewards, Tippens says.
These outcomes suggest that integrating volunteerism into a company’s culture can play a direct role in boosting engagement and strengthening overall retention.
Benevity’s Talent Retention study revealed that companies see a 52% lower turnover among newer employees when they participate in purpose programs, and employees who both donated money and volunteered time experienced a turnover rate of 12%, compared to 28% for those who did neither.
Alongside volunteer leave, Cisco offers $10,000 in donation matching per employee, per year. This is significant for employees and communities alike, as employees can direct funds to pre-vetted causes, or nominate new ones and double their contributions as a result.
“It's an amazing benefit. It's industry leading, especially in technology industry,” he says. “They've got a cause that’s near and dear to them, and they think it qualifies and meets some certain requirements, they can nominate that organization. We've got a process to add additional businesses along the way.”
The company’s reach isn’t limited to individual giving. During crises, Cisco can mobilize a coordinated response to flooding, wildfires, refugee emergencies, linking employees to urgent, local needs.
“That's just another way where we can mount campaigns very quickly to allow employees to contribute to causes that matter to them,” Tippens says.
The flexibility to volunteer across projects, regions and organizations has a measurable impact.
“We set a goal a few years ago of 80% participation, and over five years, we've seen that surpass 80% every year. Last year, we were at 86% which was our highest yet,” he says. “That translates to over 70,000 of our team members around the globe taking action, over $35 million in donations and matching gifts, over 700,000 Community Impact hours.”
Cisco is now working to better understand the downstream economic impacts of its volunteer initiatives. It’s part of a broader effort to quantify the long-term value of employee engagement through volunteering beyond metrics like tenure and attrition. Tippens challenges HR leaders not to view volunteer programs as charity.
“Volunteerism doesn't have to be viewed as a distraction. It's a way to really drive business value,” he says. “It can also be seen as a powerful brand building tool, or building trust as an ethical supplier, ethical partner in the communities where we live and work.”
Younger generations are particularly attuned to this, and it shows in recruiting and retention.
“These younger generations very much [have] the opportunity to choose their employer based on purpose, based on the extent to which the employer’s values align with their values,” Tippens says. “People choose to come to Cisco based on purpose and our purpose-driven work and take advantage of these offerings and involvement in community activities.”
Tippens emphasizes that Cisco’s approach is shaped by decades of experience and global brand strength, but for organizations beginning to explore volunteer initiatives, he stresses the importance of applying consistent rules and frameworks across all parts of the business.
“Just knowing and having the awareness that it's not time spent away from work, not lost hours and that volunteerism could be good for the business if crafted correctly is essential.”
“It's important for companies that are thinking about embarking on this journey, how do we highlight it in such a way that employees know that not only are they welcome to do it, but they're encouraged to do it.”
And despite early fears, Tippens says the value has been clear.
“We did not see [volunteerism] as something people used just to avoid work. Indeed, we've seen employees really taking good value, good advantage of those days to make real impact in their communities.”
