Thread regarding CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield layoffs

If you remember, they did run a survey and did not get the answers they wanted. So they ran another survey and deliberately phrased the questions to get the results they wanted. Another example of questionable ethics in the most ethical company.

It’s was just a reach around given management a pat on the back.

Any possibility of getting an evaluation to associates on their thoughts about management and one of the country’s most ethical companies?

Asking for a friend😂

Well appears to be no layoffs in September. DK meeting had nothing to do with the reorg. No time for general questions was given. Nothing was mentioned at all as it relates to staff or staff morale. I guess they just swept it under the rug.

Any communication? Feel better!

So how did the DK meeting go?

Can’t blame DK? His org change. His leader choices. His lack of communication. His inability to be honest with the larger group. His continued change of directions. His hyping too MANY people only to let them down.

Hey IT communication team...where’s the beef! We’ve got $300k in resources there but we’re not getting that value back, ZILCH, NADA, so who is?

BDP is driving every change, cut, layoff, title adjustment/flattening. These are not initiatives created by the ELT executives. You can sit here and blame people like DK, but he's just doing what he is mandated to do by our CEO. You want change? Get BDP out of the CEO's office. Good luck with that.

Perhaps all of this chatter is GRIT but with ZERO, ZILCH, NADA, COMMUNICATION around how IT is transforming into actual work, this is what you get. Latest reorg is just paperwork. Nothing has changed. In fact, the ability to get any work complete is now harder than ever because no one knows what they are responsible for under the new org. There is supposed to be a PMO. That's the joke of the day. A PMO without people to do PMO work. The Reorg is a joke. They should have just left teams where they were vs playing 3 Card Monty.

its just a hostile workplace.

Someone texted me and called my attention to these thread this morning and in reading these comments I am deeply saddened and share in all of your frustration. I can echo some of your sentiment, but also urge and challenge you to do the following:

• Raise your hand in the town halls and CEO/CIO all hands and ask the hard questions - hold them accountable and be relentless until you get a solid response. What you are feeling is real and needs to be addressed.
• Open HR/Compliance investigations by indicating there is a hostile work environment - be fact based and objective.
• It's a glass house, so be careful, but don't be afraid to raise legitimate concerns via the correct channels. Venting online is great, but it doesn't do much for change in the environment.
• Take time off, reset, learn what is important and focus on the good things in life. Hint: It's not work and certainly not CareFirst!
• Be prepared to leave if CareFirst is not for you! It's hard, the market is pretty bad right now, but in time, leave and go to a place you feel like the culture and such suits you. The goods ones leave and the bad ones stay! Too many are really good at "hiding" and "surviving" ... is that where you want to really be?

Times will improve, things will get better, but you have to be part of the change to the culture!

Love this last post. Thanks for sharing. You are on point with leadership. The Company is cutting cost all around and they don’t have a plan they’re trying to do two things at once reduce administrative costs and be more competitive. The fact the CIO hired a communications person and a chief of staff person that actually do nothing to bring cohesion to the department and I am not even sure what they do except GRIT more than anyone - zero value. The last post is correct on communications, there are none. Sh– happens to you. The good ones are already leaving, expect more when COVID eases up and the jobs become plentiful again. CareFirst IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE. Toxic and hostile workplace!

Ask yourselves this: DO MY LEADERS REALLY CARE ABOUT ME AND VALUE MY CONTRIBUTIONS? Then watch what they do, their words and actions do not line up.

Welcome to BDPs company! I guess this is what happens when someone without a college degree becomes CEO. well I guess that online degree counts but it was forced for the role. Mind you everyone else must have some special pedigree with a masters degree from a top university but not the CEO. Sounds like a great company to work for huh?

Ok, been silent here but can’t anymore, opinions are just that, opinions, here is mine. I am a true believer in history, trends and tendencies. Fact, the history of a person’s past decisions is the precipice of what to expect in their actions. Do the decisions follow insight, consistency, communication, direction, promote trust, community, teamwork, or value your most important asset… the employee? Research the history of your current leadership, evidence of education, experience and qualifications. Un-qualified leadership will make poor decisions, even when they are guided by third party strategists. You can’t hide the results of decisions, good or bad, what do you see? Once in position, incompetence can run downhill, appointing VP’s, Director’s, and Managers who have no experience, skills or education for that job. This all leads to mixed messages, confusion, deception, lack of confidence and then holding employees accountable for leadership failures. Leadership built on friendships, to cut price or because they took initiative, doesn’t qualify them. Do you feel like your job is being held over your head, all the time, and find the work environment more hostile every day? This will not change after downsizing and outsourcing is complete, not with the history of these leaders.
A moment of clarity, forget the words, watch the actions. You are what you do, not what you say, or imply what you’ll do. If you cannot see the writing on the wall based on the actions of leadership and the evidence of their actions you clearly do not want to see it.
If your eyes are still closed, the bottom line is, save money. They have said it over and over, and its proven to be at any cost. The need for change is evident and always ongoing, but how you make the change is as important as the change itself. Anyone in business knows saving millions of dollars has to include employees, it’s the quickest path to the bottom line. But does swapping employees for contractors really accomplish improvement in business services and financial goals? There is a professional way to communicate and execute a plan that treats people with respect and dignity. Un-qualified leadership does not know how to communicate, recognize or value employee’s history, loyalty, knowledge or commitment. Do you feel employees are informed, addressed with class, competence, direction, respect and appreciation? Can morale be impacted by a lack of communication? Is there any attempt to inform employees of progress, or just recycled information and double talk while the hack and tear process continues to lose great people?
So, if you are on the CF bandwagon and love the stress, keep your eyes closed, do what your told without question, stay in line, make friends with leadership, or stay in the dark and hang on, for there is more fun to come…….The work environment they created does not include your opinion or value you and your contributions. They have focused goals at all costs and will not communicate them. The question you should be asking is, how long can I isolate myself from them before their poor business practices compromise mine, and my career.

Well nothing happened today in IT related to people being let go. Perhaps we dodged another bullet or maybe it is coming next week. Terrible working for a division with no plan, no direction and ABSOLUTELY ZERO communication which causes peoples minds to go crazy with all sorts of thoughts. The old saying No News is Good News is not necessarily on par for this company. It's more like No News means Bad News is on the Horizon. I saw in one of the threads GRIT acronym being used. That's one of our CIO's favorite terms. Wonder if he is trolling these boards.

BDP cares not one sh– about people. He puts on such a ridiculous front. He makes quick arbitrary decisions to dump people with or without any reason to do so other than he doesn’t like them. It’s cost the company millions of dollars. Gotta smile and be happy or off ya’ go. Brian D(ickface) Pieninck.

Douchebag Pieninck at it again.
D—K the IT leader who has accomplished NOTHING at it again. Announcing deals with Medstar as people yawn at it again. Messed up leadership all over the company. It’d be funny if I didn’t work there.

And .... update on any of these layoffs being speculated on? Would like to hear what is happening if anyone has Gossip, Rumor, Innuendo, or Triangulation to share! Asking for a friend.

All of this chaos started when BDP took over as CEO! Zero agreement amongst the ELT group. Us vs them mindset in all rungs of the company - especially with the ELT - so much in-fighting. HR that has not changed since the former placeholder and prior leader - still the same c-appy HR. IT in disarray with a $3M organization design that clearly failed as nothing works and the business is on more unhappy. Nothing is getting done anywhere in the company. GREAT CULTURE!

Brian D. (For douchebag) Pieninck is a floundering, unqualified, sh–bag of a CEO. He has delivered on nothing he promised. He failed to consummate his Maryland Medicaid deal after announcing it 9 months ago. IT REMAINS a mess 2 years after he took over. HR to. Sadly, he uses the pandemic as cover for failing to deliver, though he would never let his employees do the same. Brian D–k Pieninck.

I think now, all any of us still employed with CF can do is speculate. New policies and protocols are implemented with little direction, talk of great things to come with no action, and worst of all, the gleam of hope that we hold in hopes that when the changes do come, we still have jobs.
The expectation for success still exists within CF, success in the overall company, not what the individual did or what their team members did to achieve that success. It’s sad and unfortunate, especially for employees who had hopes of a bright future with CF.

Well, there is a lot of speculation. Are we playing date bingo and how the layoff timeline is being proposed here? Any more substance or based on dates of all hands meetings only? Need more!

Q: “So how many are being affected in the layoff? Does anyone know? Is it 10? 20? 100? Only IT or also other areas?”

A: “Well first, we have to send out this years “World’s Most Ethical Company” survey and get the herd and sheep to vote us all up for fear the survey really is not anonymous. After all the hyper inflated reluctance come in, tabulated, and promoted throughout the company and in marketing materials, will we decide on the number of layoffs. We will use our One Company One Team mantra to paint the impacted as castoffs and dissenters, ones never truly with our mission. Then push you out the door with a waiver to sign while the 17th floor keeps shoveling the BS out with silly fireside chats that drive more marketing and the hope they “teach” or”train” the workplace to think singularly rather than the workforce express the diversity of thought and expression preached. Believe it when we say if you don’t believe like we do, you need to get your mind right. Otherwise, better hope you are in leadership in one of those Associate Resource Groups who may provide a tiny measure of protection after others are canned.

So how many are being affected in the layoff? Does anyone know? Is it 10? 20? 100? Only IT or also other areas?

To the post asking if CareFirst is a "destination workplace". A destination workplace is a company that people want to work for. It’s a company with its own brand - a culture that speaks not only to customers, but to employees. It’s a company that offers more than a job, but a place to build a career.

DUH, these posts are about people potentially losing their jobs. Would you call that a "destination workplace" Well if your destination is purgatory then yep you found the right company.

So much for the preach on diversity. White and older, forget about advancing. lucky to just hold on to a job

CF is getting rid of long term employees who have a pension. How do you think they're paying for all those great benefits for the younger kids like extended maternity/paternity leave and paying off school loans?

I am not sure the higher salaries is a driver. Don't you know how much they are paying these new executives? A lot more than the old ones that's for sure! Higher paid and lower skilled middle management and staff, yep! Totally going after those who are paid well and don't have the skills to match the current need. I am seeing a lot of interns being brought in, maybe it's the season, but seems like a surge.

Is CF a 'destination' workplace yet? Asking for a friend .....

You ask why people are being laid off ? Ask the people from March and last year. They are getting rid of the higher salary’s time bring in younger and less salary.

How about that new HR Officer driving a lot of this? 🙄 BTW...nothing has changed in HR since the former HR leader nor the interim leader. Same thing, just a new leader appointing the same useless people already in the company to the same or expanded roles they already weren’t qualified for. It appears as if CF is just stacking the gender and race card to check their diversity boxes. Worlds Most Ethical Company here we come! Happening all over the company. Very disingenuous.

Why are people being laid off? There is so much work to do and not enough people. Skills issues? We had to let go of all the contractors last year and managed services were also cut and not allowed to grow as they needed to in order to support new stuff being put into service. I don’t know. Plan in leaving once Covid is flattened and market is ok. Unless I am hit in lay-off.

I hope they are wrong but the facts and history say they are not. Used to be a good company.