Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Celebrates Diversity
Bridget G. Hurd
| 2 min read
Ms. Hurd is the vice president, Inclusion and Divers...
It’s so exciting to be part of the cultural mosaic that is the Blue Cross family. We’re a diverse company serving a diversity of customers and members, which underscores the importance of learning about and increasing awareness of different cultures and communities. Cultural competency is important to the work that we do. It helps us do our jobs better and provide the best in customer experience. It develops our capacity for empathy and opens us up to understanding and accepting the differences and similarities that every person brings to the workplace and our communities. Leveraging our differences makes us stronger and more innovative. When we can relate to our customers and adapt how we communicate to them, we can ensure they receive the information that they need. BCBSM celebrates diversity each and every day and holds numerous events and learning sessions throughout the year. In August, we put the spotlight on celebrating diversity through history, arts and food. This month, our employees had the opportunity to learn about German history and culture. They heard famed Detroit journalist and author Rochelle Riley speak about the burdens of slavery on African-Americans. They’ve had opportunities to attend learning sessions on Alzheimer’s disease, watch an African drum and dance performance and participate in the Jewish History Walking Tour. Latino, Filipino, Polish and Korean cultures were also learned about and experienced. We believe that bringing diversity to life for our employees empowers them to become more fully culturally competent, which makes us better-equipped to serve all our members across the state.
