In 2020, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) expanded its remote work opportunities to communities across the state. As part of a pilot program, 10 new remote employees joined the company in August 2020 as customer service representatives. Today, approximately 12% of BCBSNE’s workforce is fully remote, spanning various departments across the organization.
As the remote workforce grew, so did the need for meaningful virtual support.
“There are about 200 employees who are fully remote, but that does not include those who aren’t officially designated as remote employees but work from home most of the time,” Siera Fitts, a health data analyst at BCBSNE, said. “That distance can lead to disconnection and reduced engagement, so REMOTE Together was created to help bridge that gap.”
Remote Employees Making Opportunities To Engage Together, or REMOTE Together, is BCBSNE’s employee resource group (ERG) dedicated to supporting remote workers. Launched in 2024, the group’s mission is to ensure remote employees enjoy the same level of engagement, support, well-being and community as their in-office peers by fostering a unified team culture no matter where employees are located.
“One area we’ve focused on to support that mission is virtual presence,” Fitts, a board member of REMOTE Together, said. “Turning on your camera to show engagement or ensuring meeting rooms are equipped for virtual collaboration helps remote employees feel included and valued.”
Another challenge remote workers faced was connecting beyond their immediate teams. To address this, REMOTE Together introduced “Connect and Chat.”
“It’s a virtual space to casually check in just like you would in an office cubicle,” Fitts said. “It opens the door to build relationships across departments and recreate those spontaneous office interactions.”
The group has hosted a variety of other events and spaces to foster connection, including virtual vision board sessions, breakout sessions with employees in similar regions of the country and more.
“In our first year, we kicked things off with an introduction at the Belonging at Blue Summit, hosted an event during the United Way Campaign, held quarterly meetings and even organized a wellness challenge,” Fitts said. “Some of us even traveled to Omaha for the all-employee meeting to connect with fellow ERG members in person.”
The group’s most recent event was a celebration of National Work from Home Day on Thursday, June 26, where the group unveiled a new virtual background to promote a sense of unity. They’ll also host another session during the Belonging at Blue Summit, BCBSNE’s weeklong employee engagement summit.
“Year one of REMOTE Together was a success, and it’s a testament to BCBSNE’s commitment to building a culture of unity for remote employees,” Fitts said. “I’m incredibly proud of my board members and what we’ve accomplished. I’m so excited for what’s ahead in year two.”
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