At The Coordinating Center, putting people first is central to our mission and to how we support the individuals and families we serve. Centering people within our own organization requires more than words; it means making thoughtful decisions that recognize coworkers as whole people, each with unique lives, families, challenges, and goals.
Our Human Resources team brings that commitment to life by ensuring coworkers feel supported, valued, and equipped to succeed. On HR Professionals Appreciation Day (September 26th), I want to recognize the essential role HR professionals play in creating workplaces where people are prioritized and supported not only in principle but also in practice.
During the transition to an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA), one of the most significant organizational changes The Center has made in recent years, our Human Resources team’s leadership was a clear example of this commitment.
For decades, most employers have relied on a traditional model of health insurance where the organization selects a limited number of plans, and employees choose from those options. While this model works for some, it assumes the same set of plans can meet every employee’s needs, but people and their healthcare needs are not one-size-fits-all.
A young professional just starting their career may have very different healthcare needs than a parent managing coverage for multiple children. Someone supporting aging parents may prioritize different providers than someone managing a chronic health condition. Geography, family size, preferred physicians, medications, and budgets all influence what good coverage looks like. Our HR team recognized this reality and helped lead a shift toward a more personalized approach.
Through ICHRA, The Coordinating Center provides a contribution toward health insurance coverage while giving coworkers the ability to select the individual plan that best meets their needs. Rather than being limited to plans chosen by the employer, coworkers can choose coverage based on their own circumstances, priorities, providers, and budget.
Major benefit transitions require education, communication, planning, and patience. They require answering difficult questions, navigating uncertainty, and supporting coworkers through a process that can feel overwhelming. The Coordinating Center’s HR team worked tirelessly alongside other operational leadership teams (Accounting and Finance Team, Marketing and Communications Team) and external partners (Corporate Synergies and SureCo) to provide information sessions, FAQs, enrollment support, one-on-one assistance, and ongoing communication to help coworkers make informed decisions.
The philosophy behind the decision impressed me the most. The question was never, “What’s easiest for the organization?” Instead, the question was, “How can we give coworkers more flexibility, more choice, and more control over an incredibly personal decision?” That is what modern HR leadership looks like.
It is easy to think of HR solely in terms of policies, compliance, hiring, or benefits administration. Those responsibilities matter, but the best HR professionals do something much bigger.
- They create workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and empowered.
- They advocate for employee well-being.
- They help leadership understand the real-life impact of organizational decisions.
- They build systems that recognize that every employee’s situation is different.
When change is necessary, the best HR professionals lead with transparency, compassion, and support.
At The Coordinating Center, our HR team demonstrated all those qualities during the organization’s ICHRA transition. Embracing a benefits model centered on individual choice, reinforces an important message to coworkers: we trust you to make the decisions that are right for you and your family.
On HR Professionals Appreciation Day, I want to thank every HR professional who works tirelessly to care for people while balancing the complex needs of an organization. Your work may not always make headlines, but it shapes workplace culture, employee experience, and organizational success in profound ways.
