Cognizant has been named to Newsweek's America's Most Admired Workplaces 2027 list for the second consecutive year.
Compiled by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group, the ranking covers 750 organisations and assesses employers on their ability to attract talent, engage staff and provide a strong workplace experience.
The award adds to a series of workplace-related distinctions Cognizant has received over the past year, including inclusion on TIME's America's Best Companies list, recognition in Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces for Entry Level 2026, and Great Place to Work certification in 31 countries.
Cognizant also highlighted broader workforce plans, including a pledge to hire 1,500 US college graduates. The hiring push is part of a wider effort to develop skills and attract early-career talent.
How the ranking works
This year's list was based on more than 390,000 employee interviews and insights from more than 179,000 workers across key workplace satisfaction categories. The assessment also drew on more than 120 workforce performance indicators and a qualitative review of workplace practices.
The methodology reflects the growing use of large-scale employee feedback and performance data in employer rankings. Such lists have become a common way for companies to benchmark workplace reputation as recruitment, retention and skills development remain central management concerns.
Cognizant linked the recognition to its efforts to prepare staff for labour market changes driven by artificial intelligence and other technologies. It described that work as focused on training, hands-on exposure to new tools and internal career development.
"As AI reshapes the world of work, we're focused on helping our people build future-ready skills, gain hands-on experience with leading technologies, and grow into the new opportunities this transformation is creating," said Kathy Diaz, Chief People Officer, Cognizant. "Being named one of Newsweek's America's Most Admired Workplaces for the second consecutive year reflects our commitment to fostering meaningful careers while creating a workplace culture that supports associates in being at their best."
The emphasis on AI-related training comes as technology services groups face pressure to update employee skills while clients shift spending towards automation, data and generative AI projects. For large employers such as Cognizant, workplace recognition can also support recruitment in a competitive market for technical and consulting talent.
Workplace focus
The latest accolade centres on employee experience rather than commercial performance. In practice, that means factors such as staff sentiment, engagement levels and organisational policies carry significant weight in how employers are judged.
Employer branding has become more important as companies seek to stand out to prospective recruits and retain staff through periods of change. Rankings from publishers and workplace assessors are often used to reinforce those messages internally and externally.
Newsweek said the recognition is intended to reflect the workplace culture companies aim to build. Ryan Kinney, Senior Vice-President, Newsweek, described the listing as a marker of those efforts.
"Being recognized among Newsweek's America's Most Admired Workplaces is a meaningful reflection of the culture that companies around the country strive to create every day. This recognition validates commitments to our employees and reinforces the importance of building a workplace where people feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work," said Kinney.
Cognizant operates as a technology services provider and has increasingly tied its people strategy to the changing demands of AI-led work. Its comments suggest it sees employee development as both a practical response to shifts in client demand and a factor in workplace satisfaction.
For employers across the technology sector, recognition of this kind serves as both an external endorsement and an internal signal to staff about company priorities. For Cognizant, the repeat appearance on the list offers another data point as it competes for talent and seeks to retain workers in a changing jobs market.
This year's America's Most Admired Workplaces ranking recognises 750 organisations and draws on more than 390,000 employee interviews, insights from more than 179,000 workers and more than 120 workforce performance indicators.