AFLAC Insurance

With a desire to be an employer of choice, Aflac Insurance is no stranger to the competition for talent among employers in the United States. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the unemployment rate in the insurance industry was at 3.3 percent in March 2008, a number consistently below the national and state levels in other industries. This makes finding and retaining qualified individuals to deliver positive results to shareholders an ongoing challenge(McGregor: 35).

Organizational outcomes related to human resources at Aflac reflect many of the basic functions, including recruiting, retention, diversity and training. At Aflac, the company strives to deliver quality service to its 4,500 employees while staying competitive in the insurance market.

Aflac prides itself on being ahead of the curve from a consumer perspective and desires to mirror that philosophy in its treatment of employees. How does the company made famous by the duck maintain the integrity of its brand while delivering results through its people? How important are benefits and compensation to the company's ability to compete in a growing industry? Casey Graves, vice president of human resources in charge of compensation and benefits at Aflac, says that the needs of the company's employees continue to be the driving factor behind Aflac's total rewards programs. As with most programs, it begins with an employee needs assessment and continues to be measured through outcomes, which have been directly influenced through the company's enhanced total rewards efforts. The consistent thread throughout this process, according to Graves, is the quality of communication. Graves explains that Aflac's total rewards statements have evolved from a one-page document to an in-depth review of the true value of the employment compensation and benefits. Employee satisfaction surveys and focus groups conducted in 2007 with Aflac employees and managers drove the needs identification process. A key focus of the survey was to help recruit talent and improve retention in an industry with low unemployment rates(Heneman: 17).

Although survey results varied, Aflac's response was consistent: to give employees what they need from a benefits perspective while balancing the cost, all within a rapid period of growth. Throughout the process, the company focused on providing value-added programs that would improve employee job satisfaction, support organizational initiatives and provide opportunities for professional development(Gorman: 16).

Aflac seeks to accomplish this by: Providing Aflac products to employees at little to no cost n —for example, offering employer-paid life insurance, a company-paid cancer policy and companysubsidized accident protection insurance. Providing total rewards in line with philanthropic goals. n Aflac dedicates resources to efforts that support the community in four areas: health, education, youth and the arts. One benefit offered to Aflac employees is the recognition of a “Volunteer of the Month,” in which an employee is awarded for the time spent volunteering at his or her charity of choice. Developing employees for their next career level through extensive n employee training and leadership programs to keep pace with the strategic growth goals being executed company- ...