Stephanie Browne: Optimizing Talent Acquisition

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When it comes to using technology to find the best candidates for the job, Stephanie Browne, Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Chief Diversity Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, is interested in whether the skill set candidates bring with them fits the needs of the company.

“I want to come up with the technology that just sends me the best, most qualified candidates so we can meet with them and get to know if they’re the right fit for the company and we’re the right fit for them,” Browne said.

In her role at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Browne is responsible for setting the strategy and leading the development and implementation of a world-class talent organization. Her responsibilities include recruiting diverse, high-quality talent for the organization, building a culture of respect, and developing and supporting programs that retain the company’s employees.

A huge part of Browne’s strategy is making sure her staff, especially the Employee Resource Group leaders, is well-trained in making sure the social, cultural, and professional needs of the individual employees are being met so they can do their job to the best of their ability with opportunities for growth.

“The definition of diversity in the workplace is a lot broader than most people realize,” she explained. “It’s just not about ethnicity, but covers everything from veterans’ groups to those who are physically challenged to the members of the LGBTQ community.”

Browne knows that the success of any strategic planning initiative begins at the top and she credits the C-Suite executives at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for being both supportive and proactive when it comes to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

“There are many layers to success, and it’s inspiring to know the people above me are always thinking about what’s next—what’s the next challenge going to be and what are we doing to be ready for it,” Browne said. “During any given day, I can go from a strategic planning meeting with the CEO to a meeting with an employee that just started that day. It can be a roller coaster, but I love what I do.”