Bloomfield, Illinois, is Cigna Corporation’s home.
But the Midwestern company has over 83 locations.
One of the world’s leading healthcare service corporations, according to AM Best and Standard & Poor’s, working for Cigna Corporation is a highly competitive environment.
Cigna is ranked 12th on the 2022 Fortune 500 list.
And for the company’s 74,000 employees, most days are rewarding with many opportunities.
But there are always a few challenges.
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Pros of Working for Cigna
1. Enticing salary
Let’s face it, we all look at the salary first.
Working for Cigna has some definite advantages.
They offer an outstanding salary package with all the trimmings.
This applies whether you work in the call center, administration, or as a medical director.
Everyone receives medical, dental, and vision insurance.
There are also options for paid leave for personal emergencies or time to simply get away from the pressures of the job.
2. Impressive perks
Most companies offer their employees various discounts on company services.
These are often known as perks.
Highly desired, these incentives include food, stipends for streaming channels, or reimbursement for e-bike rental or gym memberships.
Part of an employer’s attractiveness is the little extras.
Cigna provides great employee insurance plans, but they also encourage a healthy lifestyle, time with the kids, and impressive discounts with local businesses.
All of these can be found on PerkSpot.
Career advancement is a major benefit of working for Cigna.
The company supports tuition reimbursement helping employees achieve more.
3. A diverse campus
Cigna is enormous.
But that can be a benefit.
Diversity of background and cultures adds strength to a corporation.
Cigna recognizes the benefit of an inclusive workforce and provides an impressive range of employment opportunities.
There is even the possibility of transfer to other states and to international locations.
4. Learning new things
Cigna’s commitment to professional development is a popular part of its corporate culture.
Update your skills, learn a new language, or add a degree.
Opportunities for advanced training, certification courses, or tuition reimbursement plans cater to workforce advancement.
The ultimate goal – employee loyalty and professional success
5. Leadership training
Yes, Cigna is a sprawling bureaucracy, but there are some advantages to a large company.
Yes, Cigna is a sprawling bureaucracy, but there are some advantages to a large company.
Let’s take a look at the members of Cigna’s Asian Pacific Islander ERG.
This leadership group is supported by ample resources and group-organized events.
In this case, Cigna encourages its workforce to shoulder management roles when given an opportunity.
6. Flexible schedules
To Cigna, the quality of the work is more important than where that work gets done.
That’s why Cigna offers employees flex-time or hybrid scheduling.
Non-contiguous work was once the domain of upper management and freelance consultants.
But now, flexible scheduling is open to most employees.
Cigna has recognized the ongoing benefit of supporting home offices, telecommuting options, and compressed schedules.
You may have to negotiate for atypical schedules, but it is an option if more family or personal time is needed.
7. Pride of work
Working for a major corporation is a good goal.
But one of the hidden benefits of working for a healthcare company like Cigna is the unlying understanding of employee well-being.
Individuals who take pride in their work and know they are appreciated are likelier to be productive.
Happiness is also a proven strategy for keeping you healthy.
Studies show that employees with good work-life balance take fewer sick days and have more resilient immunity.
Job hunting is a job of its own.
Start the process early if you hope to work for a large stable company.
And remember, patience is a virtue.
Large stable companies are good work options for many reasons.
But there are also some interesting challenges when applying for a position at Cigna.
Cons of Working for Cigna
1. High workload
With roughly 200 million people insured, the workload can be overwhelming at the best of times.
Depending on your position, the sheer number of healthcare claims processed and calls answered daily can be mentally and physically exhausting.
And unfortunately, not everyone you deal with is happy about their situation.
So skills to help you manage stress and defuse disappointed customers may be needed.
If this is not your idea of a fun day, skip the positions with intense workloads.
But remember that not all jobs within Cigna are customer-facing or work with detailed computer claims.
If you are still interested in the company, seek out alternate positions such as the legal department or marketing and public relations.
2. Pressure and stress
Cigna is fast-paced.
Most of the time, the various departments function as teams.
But for some, highly stressed work environments may not be a good fit.
Some employees may feel their concerns are not heard or their workload is unbalanced.
If you are not used to a high-pressure environment, it is easy to misinterpret or even miss support from managers.
3. Detailed work
If your mantra is “good enough,” Cigna may not be the best place to hang your hat.
Processing healthcare claims requires attention to detail and sometimes lots and lots of overtime.
Even with computers as proofreaders and editors, mistakes happen.
And mistakes can be expensive or lead to the denial of healthcare services.
The importance of the work requires a strong commitment from Cigna’s employees.
Deadlines may cut into your weekends or holidays, interfering with family time or delay of personal plans.
4. Paperwork
With detailed work comes lots and lots of paper.
Most insurance companies use technology and complex software to process claims and communications.
This is known as electronic data interchange software.
Unfortunately, paperwork is still necessary.
But even a few files seem impossible to keep track of.
The paperwork also leads to errors.
Lost files, missing data, and team responsibilities can add to daily stress.
5. Hurry up and wait
Have you ever seen an aircraft carrier or a semi-truck make a turn? It takes time.
And with a company as large as Cigna, decisions and policies may be slow to implement.
Bids and contracts, which affect the compensation of the entire department, may depend on government financing.
And anything dealing with state and federal entities takes months to finalize.
Or significant decisions, like finding a new location, hiring upper-level management, or implementing a new policy, will require multi-departmental input.
So, hurry up, take a seat, and wait.
6. Lots of rules
Running a corporate behemoth like Cigna requires structure.
It also involves detailed policies and procedures for every aspect of corporate life.
As an insurance company that services both commercial and government contracts, some divisions also have to follow the regulations of state and federal authorities.
If this type of highly regulated environment is not what you are looking for in a career, a major insurer like Xigna may not be your first job choice.
7. A surprising level of security
You would think that a company that just processes healthcare claims wouldn’t need a lot of policies and security.
But Cigna has both.
The information that they possess is private.
With the ability to personally identify their customers.
It is also protected by law.
The federal HIPAA law requires significant safeguards for all information.
Maintaining passwords, key codes, security badges, and even security clearances for select positions are all part of a day’s work at Cigna.
14 Pros and Cons of Working for Cigna – Summary Table
| Pros of Working for Cigna | Cons of Working for Cigna |
|---|---|
| 1. Enticing salary | 1. High workload |
| 2. Impressive perks | 2. Pressure and stress |
| 3. A diverse campus | 3. Detailed work |
| 4. Learning new things | 4. Paperwork |
| 5. Leadership training | 5. Hurry up and wait |
| 6. Flexible schedules | 6. Lots of rules |
| 7. Pride of work | 7. A surprising level of security |
Should You Work for Cigna?
If you want a career with a wow factor, Cigna serves over 200 million customers across 30 countries.
If you want a career with a wow factor, Cigna serves over 200 million customers across 30 countries.
Traded on the New York Stock Exchange, its stock symbol is CI.
This American company processes an overwhelming amount of money and services.
But a good job involves more than size.
So do a little research.
Reviewing compensation policies, additional benefits, and room for career growth is important.
So is the company’s commitment to the overall well-being of its associates.
Look into the company’s culture.
Ask yourself if it embraces diversity and celebrates all backgrounds and values.
An easy way to do research is online.
You can check company pages and job reviews on platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor.
This will give you an idea of overall employee satisfaction.
Or, you could attend an open house or contact current Cigna employees for more information.
Sometimes a job is a job.
But a position with a global company, where you can learn and grow, needs a bit more attention.
