What Humana’s Bold Goal Means to Me and My Team

Every day, I try to “Take 10” – a well-being break Humana, my employer, actively encourages all of its employees to do. Depending on my day, my “Take 10” might be some stretches at my desk or a walk with my team. No matter what my well-being break is, it makes me feel connected to a larger sense of well-being and purpose.

That purpose, the vision and goal of improving ourselves and our local communities, is deeply entrenched at Humana. In fact, it’s so deeply entrenched that we’ve given it a name – the Bold Goal – and defined it as our goal to improve the health of our employees and the communities we serve 20 percent by 2020.

While that might sound lofty, the Bold Goal is important to me and my team. The direct connection to Humana’s health plan members and the patients at our medical facilities isn’t always easy to see when you work in Enterprise Procurement and Vendor Services (EPVS). But, the Bold Goal gives us a clear connection to our members and motivates us to inspire health and help people live healthier lives however we can.

We actively encourage our department to take steps to increase health and reduce stress. Walking meetings and standing desks are common sights on our floor. We’ve held Healthy Pot Luck and Team Stretch and Walk events, combining healthy food, team bonding and exercise.

Among my favorite ways we’ve embraced Humana’s Bold Goal as a team is volunteering. Volunteering as a team connects us to our own sense of well-being by giving back and allows us to lend a helping hand to our local community in Louisville, Ky. The EPVS team frequently participates in “Blessings in a Backpack” on Fridays, packing backpacks to make sure school children have food to eat on the weekends. At a recent quarterly meeting, our team wrote more than 100 inspirational cards for seniors living at Little Sisters of the Poor – St. Joseph’s Home. I’m proud to work for a company that cares deeply about its employees and the well-being of all the communities we touch.

In our daily work, the EVPS team furthers Humana’s vision of well-being by the types of vendors we contract with and the kinds of programs we create for members. Shortly after joining Humana in 2017, I traveled to Miami to learn more about one of our enterprise vendors. This particular vendor helps Humana deliver meals to Medicare Advantage members the week following a hospital stay, a time when seniors are often vulnerable health-wise. The program includes three easy, nutritious, fresh meals a day for a week. Walking around the vendor’s warehouse, I clearly felt how my work directly affected our members and improved health in Miami.

Taken together, Humana’s Bold Goal is motivational and inspirational. It gives me and my team a clear connection and purpose in our work. It helps us contribute to Humana’s work to be an outstanding corporate citizen in all the communities we serve. And, the Bold Goal makes us feel good about what we’re working towards each and every day.