Independence Blue Cross Reviews

Pros

- Strong performers will find long term job security.
- Business is going through a period of change for the better.
- Profitable and growing.
- New leadership has excellent vision.

Cons

- Many employees have been with the company for decades and know the "way things have always been done."
- Not for profit, no equity compensation.
- A-type individuals and thinkers may find themselves bored in a short time.
- Have to pursue opportunities for training and growth on your own, often outside IBC.

Advice to Senior Management

Continue to foster change and lead from the top with bold vision. More transparency into career path and the rewards for attaining top leadership levels (if I will not have equity, how am I rewarded for growth of the company and continued success?).

Pros

The company has great benefits, multiple locations for potential transfers, headquarters in convenient Center City commuter path and friendly employees.

Cons

The company is top-heavy with management, behind in comparison to market place technology, very territorial and segmented in department-to-department workflows. Difficult adjustment to those used to a high-tech, paperless work environment.

Advice to Senior Management

If you are up for a challenge in creating an efficient and effective work environment within your department, then this is the place for you!

Pros

My best experiences were at our charity and community events. I enjoyed being a blue crew volunteer more than being a paid associate.

Cons

There is major favoritism. You only get 5 sick days per rolling calendar year. God forbid you and your children get sick at different times in one year.

Advice to Senior Management

Not that I expect them to consider my feedback. I will suggest recognizing the talents of the associates and use them accordingly.

Pros

Thorough training, good performance incentives, generous time off and holidays. Some advancement opportunities (I worked for a subsidiary, so there was more room to move up at the home office). Management makes it a priority to praise good performance frequently.

Cons

I had a problem with being penalized for unscheduled time off due to emergencies and illness. This was the company's general practice during my tenure with them. I understand that some people abuse the privilege; however, team members that have not should be given the benefit of the doubt.

Advice to Senior Management

Please consider a mentoring program or some other form of developing good performers for higher levels of responsibility. Also, please consider on-site daycare at all locations; many of my co-workers were single mothers.

Pros

decent benefit package, 37.5 hour work week, free continuing education for nurses

Cons

Incompetent people are promoted; no consequences to clerical staff who do not perform their jobs competently

Advice to Senior Management

Stop expecting nurses to clean up the clerical mistakes made by people who won't do their jobs!!

Pros

Work life balance for employees with children

Cons

50 plus hr work week

Pros

A good place that has lots of restaurants and a city life

Cons

Do tons of work. but no one recognizes you. You keep getting more work. The management expects more Quantity and Quality. Management thinks everthing is a easy job. You are impoosed with impossible time lines and you end up working crazy hours for no recognition. Management has no idea about the details of day to day operations. Very inefficient management. Haven't seen this kind of poor management elsewhere.

Advice to Senior Management

Be efficient and try to get some idea on who is doing what. In the recent layoffs, many efficient co-workers got laid off. It is a shame to let such good assets go out the door.

Pros

It's a job in a bad economy, if you make it past the next round of layoffs. Convenient gym with dues, lots of restaurants close by. Close to public transportation.

Cons

Contstant change of management, unstable. I was layed off after over 10 years. Best thing that ever happened careerwise. Inconsistent management. I had some of the best and the worst managers of my 20 plus years in corporations.

Advice to Senior Management

Take some hints from the management of the 90's. Be appreciative, compassionate and compensate the workers fairly. I had one especially great director. People loved her because she was fair and they worked any hours she needed.

Pros

IBC offers a fitness center, great benefits, sufficient paid time off, fitness incentives, and many other perks through being the region's leading health insurer. Recently employees received a 7 percent salary bonus for the completion of 2010. This payment will be made lump sum. Located in Center City Philadelphia, nearby access to regional trains and SEPTA routes. Also great for many lunch spots and shopping. Through company partnerships, many regional discounts on entertainment, dining, fitness, and retail stores.

Cons

Many employees have been around awhile and do not want to change things.
Management seems to have little knowledge of many operational functions. Company does not always promote from within when they can. Human Resources are really not advocates for employees.

Pros

Extremely easy job although paperwork is more important than productiveness. Keep your head low and you can coast for a long time!

Cons

Many people are just sitting around biting their fingernails waiting to see if they are next in the layoff line. Emplyee health insurance pricing is OUTRAGEOUS if you want the "good" plans. They price their own employees out of coverage. Come on now, you want me to pay like $1K a month out of my paycheck for a PPO plan? Pretty soon, I'll get a paystub with a negative balance!

Advice to Senior Management

Show some balls and just tell the employees what the hell you're planning on doing. Do you really think we're getting any work done at this point? The company is crumbling under your feet and you don't even care. Here's a great one... we get bonuses this year... at the same time you're firing loyal employees. What idiot made that decision? Keep your "bonuses" and "raises" and stop firing people. If the only way you can make your numbers look good is to fire more people, you'll soon run out of bodies to run the joint. Management is in bed with a number of consulting firms that will kindly take on some of the employees though. How sweet! Let's not forget all of the tax breaks that a "non-profit" like IBC gets while at the same time outsourcing the jobs from our fair citizens over to India.