S8-Ep13: How HR Drives New Beginnings

Guest: Fara Palumbo Change is probably the biggest single consequence of the pandemic on organizations in every sector and of every size.  Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina not only weathered that change, but thrived – even winning awards. Their Chief People Officer, Fara Palumbo, talks with host Maureen Metcalf about the positive opportunities the pandemic presented to her HR department in launching initiatives – and making Blue Cross/Blue Shield an even better place to work.  They discuss change, transformation, and how HR acts as the primary driver for those shifts. This interview is part of the Connex Executive Insights Series. Here's what Fara and Maureen reveal: How remote work has so many advantages for both the worker and the organization; Why it can be outright foolish to return to the inefficiencies of full on-site work; and Changing your focus from work-life balance to work-life flexibility.  Other episodes you'll enjoy: The New Role of Leadership in a Hybrid Workplace – with Greg Moran Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust & Connection – with Erica Dhawan The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers & Agile Companies – with Jeff Wald For daily wisdom from our guests, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn . We're on Mastodon, Facebook, and Twitter, too!   ----------------------   RESOURCES:   There’s more about Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina on their website at Bcbsnc.com . Our host Maureen Metcalf posts a newsletter every week on LinkedIn. You can follow her there at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenmetcalf/ . She’s also written several award-winning books on leadership development. You can peruse and purchase them here: https://amzn.to/3C4eSX0 . -----------------------   OUR PODCAST TEAM:   Host & Executive Producer: Maureen Metcalf Editor & Producer: Dan Mushalko Video & Graphics Editor: Devon Mushalko Dynamic Duo of Podbean: Luigi Morelli & Connor Carson CONNECT WITH US: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Innovativeleadership YouTube: @InnovatingLeadership Twitter: @IL_Institute Mastodon: @InnoLeader LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/innovativeleadershipinsitute/ Website: InnovativeLeadership.com Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating! -----------------------   About Our Guest:   Fara Palumbo is Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of North Carolina, a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services, and information to 3.8 million members. Throughout her career, she has focused on transforming the talent and culture of teams via a focus on innovation, diversity, and change leadership. During her tenure at Blue Cross NC, Fara has led the transformation of the company’s talent strategy, leading cultural change to enable long-term business growth. Under her leadership, the company has achieved and maintained its certification as a Great Place to Work©, and has earned numerous recognitions as an employer of choice, including the Working Mother Top 100, Best Companies in Healthcare & BioPharma, Forbes Best Mid-sized Companies for Diversity, and NAFE Top Company for Women Executives.