From Freedom to Focus: Finding it All in Cisco Collaboration

I consider myself a structured creative. My mind is usually cluttered with ideas and running at full speed, while my desktop, notes and email folders need to be in a state of pristine order – sorted by color and urgency. You know, it’s all about balance.

Speaking of balance, most portrayals of modern-day working life are quite the opposite of balanced. On the one hand you have the successful corporate worker, who is always exhausted and spends the majority of their waking hours at the office. On the other, you have the time-rich but money-poor freelancer that has to hustle for each gig.

As a prototypical millennial who gets some of their best ideas sipping flat whites at overpriced cafes, I truly crave the flexibility of deciding when and where to work. At the same time, I need the stability, comradery and efficiency that comes with meeting my colleagues face-to-face. When university came to a close, I felt torn between conforming to the outdated (but still very much present) notion of the ‘Ideal Worker Type’ where physical presence equals dedication, or flying solo with no job security.

This was not a decision I wanted to make, and I’m glad I didn’t have to! Shortly thereafter, I landed a job at Cisco as a Copywriter for our Collaboration teams – and my preconceptions of the corporate world got a big old slap in the face.

Upon joining Cisco, I expected high shoulders and logistical nightmares as I was working out of our Oslo, Norway office, whilst collaborating with a team based in the United States. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Through Cisco’s collaboration solutions, I was able to connect face-to-face with my team from wherever I was. The audio-visual quality was so superior that I felt like I was sitting in the same room as the people I was conversing with! The experience was effortless and intuitive as the Webex technology works hard in the background to make collaboration seamless. In fact, I don’t even notice it – while at the same time it has totally transformed the way I get things done.

Collaboration technologies are here to help us work better, faster and smarter. However, their adoption can be hindered by presenteeism, either real or imagined. As a recent Corporate Communications graduate, I was painfully aware that digitalization efforts would never be fruitful if they were not accompanied by a supportive organizational culture. I am lucky to be part of a company that’s not only undergoing a digital transformation, but rather leading the digital transformation. With its innovative collaboration solutions and supportive culture, it’s no surprise that Cisco is the #1 World’s Best Workplace.

At Cisco, my individuality is championed. The focus is not on where I get things done, it’s in how I get things done. This flexibility allows me to work where I feel the most inspired and productive. I am fortunate to be part of a company that encourages me to perform to the best of my ability, regardless of where I choose to work that day.

Turns out you can have your flat whites and stability, too.

Ready to join our collaborative teams? We’re hiring. Apply now.

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