Jeff Chon, senior data consultant at BlueCross, has worked in his field for 20 years, holding positions in “business intelligence” and “decisions support.” When people ask what he does for a living, he often starts with a joke.
“I like to reference the job Chandler had on ‘Friends’ – explaining it wouldn’t make sense to anyone but him,” Jeff says. “But essentially I’m looking for answers to help decipher data and make financial decisions for the company that will ultimately benefit our members.”
Until six months ago, Jeff was working for another health insurer, commuting from his home in St. Paul, Minnesota, to offices in nearby Minnetonka as well as Michigan as a hybrid remote/onsite worker.
Traffic and weather conditions could explode his typical 20-minute drive to an hour and 20 minutes, and he was required to travel to offices in Michigan frequently. That meant more time away from his kids, Genevieve (14) and Grayson (12). And when his father passed away in 2023, handling arrangements and being the executor of the estate put even more demands on him at home.
Though he’d been with his previous employer for more than seven years, he started looking around for other options that might work better for his family. That’s when a recruiter from BlueCross called him.
“Tennessee wasn’t even on my radar at the time, and I’m always cautious about starting a new job,” Jeff admits. “But when I talked to the hiring managers, they were both really knowledgeable and easygoing. They impressed me and gave me a lot of confidence that this would be a good fit.”
Joining in from a distance
Even though he was logging in from 1,000 miles away, Jeff says his team made a point to make him feel welcome and included. From his supervisors to his teammates and even other areas of the company, Jeff says he’s been struck by the openness and sense of community at BlueCross, as well as the new employee experience overall.
“The way things were organized and the access I got to do my job, it was excellent. It was the best I’ve ever seen in my 20 years of experience,” Jeff says. “It spoke to me about the preparation they’ve done to make the onboarding process seamless and smooth.”
Fitting in with his team has also gone more smoothly than Jeff expected. His job allows for a lot of autonomy, and his supervisors trust him to get the job done and come through on deadlines.
“This team has a lot of experience and knows how to handle and maintain a positive culture, not just through my immediate managers, but all the way up,” Jeff says. “That was, honestly, shocking, in a good way!”
Working in health care also helps Jeff see past the numbers to the people they represent.
“As someone whose own family members have depended on Medicare, for example, I have this very tangible example of the end result of our work right in front of me,” Jeff says. “It makes that data mean more to me, and be all the more fascinating and rewarding.”
Making your voice heard
This is the first fully remote job Jeff has had, so he’s been learning the ropes of staying connected over a distance. His biggest tip? Join meetings prepared to talk.
“In an in-person setting, it’s easy to be seen as participating in a meeting just because you’re physically there,” Jeff explains.
“I’ve learned to be extra communicative and responsive in meetings. The thumbs-up emoji isn’t enough for me. I need to make the most of my turn to talk and not just be a couple letters on the screen.”
Being more intentional about communication is something he takes seriously not just for his own position, but as an example of what’s possible for remote work in general.
“I think there’s a culture of open-mindedness at BlueCross that allows me to do what I do and bring value to my team,” Jeff says. “But I also think it’s on me to make this work so others can get the chance to have a job like this.”
Jeff’s team and supervisors are quick to point out the benefits of having access to expertise and attitude.
“Being remote first allows us to source talented people from pretty much anywhere in the country,” says Jeffrey Kay, managing director of valuation & data analytics for BlueCross. “That much broader talent pool means we can bring somebody like Jeff on board, giving us an advantage as a company.”
Being there where it counts
Jeff enjoys his life in the Twin Cities. When he’s not crunching numbers at work, he’s playing basketball with friends or playing guitar and singing in his church. And without as much travel for work, his family has enjoyed having him around more.
“I drive my kids to school, doctors’ appointments, you name it — I’m the guy who takes them,” Jeff says, laughing. “They’re getting spoiled having me around to cook all the time.”
But what matters most for Jeff is that work-life balance, being able to take care of things when his family needs him.
“If the kids get snowed in or don’t have school that day, that flexibility is huge,” he says. “You have to make the most of those precious minutes. The minutes add up.”
A graduate of The University of South, Sewanee, Jacob joined the Corporate Communications team in 2018. With a background in marketing, public relations and literary publishing, he brings storytelling expertise and a collaborative spirit to every project.