Case Study: Cisco Meraki achieves a 35% new-hire referral rate with Greenhouse Software

How Cisco Meraki Achieved a 35% New Hire Referral Rate

Cisco Meraki faced a weak employee referral program that was little-known, poorly promoted, and underused despite a $1,500 payout—so recruiting leaders set out to make referrals a real source of quality sales hires rather than an afterthought.

They launched “Meraki Matchmaking” (15-minute recruiter–employee LinkedIn sessions), built referrals into onboarding, and ran quarterly promotions (timed bonuses and a low-cost “wheel spin” prize program) funded from the sales recruiting budget. The changes drove strong engagement: referrals jumped to 200+ during promotions, peaked at about 70/month during the wheel-spin period, and ultimately yielded 35% of new hires—transforming referrals into a core hiring channel and culture.

Cisco Meraki

Eryn Marshall

Director of Global Sales Recruiting