Aetna anchors its business growth and profitability on the diversity of its workforce, to meet the demands of multi-cultural customers. It believes, having employees coming from different cultures, sexual orientation, racial, training backgrounds and experiences, give them business leverage to maximize their productivity and creativity. The strategy is driven by the need for the business to grow beyond traditional customer bases, and having a workforce who understands the customers they serve better.
To actualize this strategy, Aetna must focus on creating customer value through innovation and technology. This is possible when the company creates an environment that utilizes the potential of each and every employee to the maximum in terms of their expertise and experiences. The company must create an environment where all employees are free to share their ideas on improving the company’s productivity. A diverse workforce in terms of cultures, expertise, and experiences creates a pool of talents, with the highest potential of being innovative in meeting multi-cultural customer demands.
For this to happen, first Aetna must ensure its employees are recognized and rewarded for their inputs and innovative ideas which help improve the growth of the company (Fallon, 2020). This increases the employees’ engagement and enhances healthy competition among employees. Secondly, employees must converse freely, the management must let them mix and chat may be in their informal settings at workplaces, because from such meetings new innovative ideas could come up. Lastly, the company must inculcate a sense of belonging, every person gives their best in an environment where they feel accepted and belong.
Reference
Fallon, N. (2020). A Culture of Inclusion: Promoting Workplace Diversity and Belonging.