Payer organizations are under pressure to turn talent management from a collection of individual HR programs into a single, coherent strategy, particularly as AI reshapes what skills and leadership look like on the ground.
Becker’s asked Glenn Dowling of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey two questions: What has been the most successful project you led in the last year, and where do you see the biggest opportunity for growth in the next 12 months? His answers, below, center on treating talent as a strategic asset rather than a back-office function.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
What has been the most successful project you led in the last year?
Glenn Dowling. Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey: The most successful initiative I led was the integration of talent acquisition, succession planning, leadership development and workforce planning into a more cohesive talent strategy. The goal was to move beyond individual HR programs and create a system that helps leaders make better talent decisions, strengthen leadership pipelines and prepare the organization for future business needs. What made it successful was not just the implementation, but the shift in how leaders think about talent as a strategic business asset.
Where do you see the biggest opportunity for growth in the next 12 months?
GD: The greatest opportunity ahead is helping organizations transform at the intersection of AI, talent and leadership. AI is reshaping work faster than most organizations can adapt, creating a need for more agile, skills-based approaches to talent and workforce planning. But technology alone won’t create competitive advantage. The organizations that succeed will be those that simultaneously develop leaders who can navigate change, build new capabilities, and create cultures that continuously learn and adapt.
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