Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Reviews in Raleigh-Durham, NC Area

Pros

Excellent benefits package. HR put together a really nice deal.

Cons

Speaking specifically about the IT side of the company, I'd have to agree with everything that the previous poster said (“The worst company culture I have ever seen"). The management is horrible and it's "Stone Age IT." It's a very top heavy organization and its very hard to get promoted or even recognition.
Definitely not an "Equal Oppurtunity Employer." Skill set, talent, accomplish and experience alone will get you nowhere here. You have to be on the "buddy list" to move up. And some of the most inexperienced people get promoted for whatever reason.

To be fair, there are a couple in management who are great to work for and can make life enjoyable. But overall, the management is horrible and people are dispensable.

It's a shame because there is talent on the ground scattered throughout the organization, yet there input is not valued. This can be a very frustrating place to work to say the least.

Advice to Senior Management

Cut management by half and stock up on talented individuals; and listen to them. And listen to the experts on the ground. This should and can be a pleasant place to work.

Pros

Good pay, good benefits, workout room, people on the phones in the call centers are dedicated to helping policyholders and providers.

Cons

I worked in the IT department. Managers treated employees with utter contempt and were rewarded for it, some project managers seemed to have no clue what they were doing, good employees who tried to make a difference were terminated without cause. This was truly the worst work culture I have ever seen.

Advice to Senior Management

I never saw nor interacted with "the leadership" at Blue Cross, but if this were a for-profit company I can't believe it would survive. I suspect that the problems with the culture start with "the tone at the top."

Pros

BENEFITS, BENFITS, BENEFITS!! Gym on site, free trips to nurse practioners on site, massages on site, nearly free health care coverage, the company promotes healthy lifestyles, great fitness classes offered int he gym. If you are a person that cares about your health, this company is for YOU!!, They are really trying to make sure that their employees are healhty. They've gone to the point that everything in the snack machines are healthy, no regular sodas can be found anywhere on site, water is about 50 cents a bottle, and you get reduced healthcare based on how healthy you are and what steps you've taken to improve your health.

Cons

Because of the benefits, the pay is going to be lower. Work anywhere except customer service, and you will be satisfied.

Advice to Senior Management

Listen to the people who work on the phones. They know the customers better than everyone else.

Pros

Working for Blue Cross and Blue Shield gives you the opportunity to be a part of a vital contribution to the community - by working for the state's largest health insurer.

Cons

The promotion process is very political

Advice to Senior Management

Please ensure that all employees have equal opportunity to advance. In some positions, it's very difficult to get time away for the job responsibilites to work on career development

Pros

Work/life balance for salaried employees.

Cons

Expensive benefits for employees (ironic because we provide benefits to other companies)
Big difference between the way hourly employees are treated, vs. salaried professionals or managers; corresponding differences in job satisfaction ratings, turnover, employee engagement.
Inequitable treatment of women and minorities. Women comprise 75% of the 4,900 employees, and minorities about 50%, but management is about 75% white guys.

Advice to Senior Management

Look more closely at the non-exempt population. They're not treated fairly, equitably or respectfully, and that's why there's a stampede for the door. You need them more than you need the battalions of gabby middle-managers. Also, back off with the high pressure PAC campaign. You can be a good corporate citizen and still resist the idea of forced financial support of insurance industry lobbying in Washington.

Pros

The benefits. The Company really does strive to treat their employees well. Free gym access, yearly family day celebrations, and quarterly deparment activities are just a few ways they show their appreciation for all of ouer hard work.

Cons

The beuracracy. Everything here has to go through approval of about a dozen different people. This makes it difficult as a software developer to accomplish your job sometimes. The pay isn't as much as some of the other companies in the area. And the campus is spread out which requires a lot of travel around the Durham area to attend meetings.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep doing what your doing. This company is great to work for, and it's you're attention that you give to the associates that keeps it that way.