Member Login
North America
Asia-Pacific
Europe
Changing regions will empty your cart. Would you like to continue?
Founded in 1850, Aetna is one of the largest health insurers in the United States, offering a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care, disability plans, and medical management capabilities. In 2008, Aetna generated revenues of over $30 billion.
Aetna's HR function aims to drive superior business results by advancing the human and organizational capabilities critical to the achievement of the company's goals. According to Aetna's HR Analytics Center of Excellence (CoE) team-responsible for providing data to support business decisions-establishing a data analysis capability enables the function to improve how it delivers value to the organization, through:
1. Setting priorities and measuring outcomes of Aetna's Human Capital Operating Plan
2. Modifying how internal surveys and focus groups are used to capture data
3. Quantifying the risk/reward associated with new initiatives
4. Changing the HR Business Partner/Line conversation from "I think" to "I know"
While workforce data is most often used by Aetna's management teams, site staff, and the Finance function, the HR Analytics Center of Excellence sees a significant opportunity to instill a commitment to data analysis across the entire firm. A critical element of that vision is changing how Aetna's Human Resources Business Partners (HRBPs) use workforce data and analytics in their role as business consultants to the line.
Aetna's HR Leadership team created an HR Certification program as a professional development opportunity for staff seeking to strengthen individual and organizational skills in areas critical to Aetna's business success:
1. Consulting-By improving HR's business consulting skills and instituting a common consulting methodology, HRBPs will more effectively translate Aetna's organizational goals into human capital requirements. This will help ensure strong short-term business performance while preparing the workforce to respond to long-term challenges associated with an uncertain future.
2. Project Management-Greater responsibility for designing and executing major human capital initiatives requires that HRBPs develop their ability to identify project roadblocks, resolve problems, and effectively manage key stakeholders.
3. Data Analysis-Utilizing core techniques in solving business problems through data is an expectation of Aetna's HR Business Partners. To support this, Aetna offers regular classes that teach the participants how to interpret, apply, and communicate workforce metrics.
As increasingly skilled internal consultants, Aetna's HR Business Partners are a recognized resource for delivering valuable data-driven insights to line managers. Success in mandating that business partners use workforce analytics data is extending to the broader HR function, with all HR practitioners expected to incorporate metrics as part of their day-to-day responsibilities.