Much of work-life has returned to “normalcy”—or perhaps “new normalcy” is a better term. How and where we work now, and with whom, is the reality. Like most other industries, the insurance workplace has been forever changed, and there is no going back—and we are better for it.
It would be easy to point to the pandemic as the catalyst. In retrospect, the accelerated digital transformation was already brewing, thanks to expanded communication capabilities and technological advances geared to enhance work environment function. New virtual and hybrid work environments, the Great Resignation, societal and economic pressures, the evolution of connected autonomy, and a surge in retirements all conjoined to create the perfect storm for the industry to address human capital challenges.
At Input 1, we’ve put “return to work” on hold for the past two years. During this time, many of us experienced dramatic changes to our working arrangements, leaving many wondering what decisions will be made about office work at Input 1. Balancing business and employee interests is never easy, and no solution is perfect, but we work to do so with a lot of care and consideration.
After much thought, we’ve decided to adopt changes to our work model that mirror the same working arrangements we’ve grown accustomed to over the last two years (i.e., hybrid work model). I hold the people of Input 1 in the highest regard, as does the rest of the management team here at Input 1. We have put this hybrid arrangement in place to promote optimal work/life balance with strong consideration for and awareness of how the pandemic has changed daily life and everyone’s view on how their career fits into that.
Other forward-thinking companies in the insurance industry are also adopting talent acquisition and retention strategies, absent geographic boundaries, and prioritizing the redefinition of their company culture to best adapt to the needs of the people within the industry.
Younger workers seek careers that offer job satisfaction, not just longevity. This has changed the dynamics. These emerging professionals have expectations beyond salary, benefits, and job security.
Looking back at the Insurance Industry and Human Capital
In 2015 Deloitte produced a survey that found “93% of the insurance industry indicated that culture and engagement is their top priority, but less than half reported they were ready to face that challenge.” In fact, in that same survey, 28% of companies said they either had an outdated or non-existent strategy.1
In days past, the insurance culture was founded on risk-averse traditions that have given the industry an even-keeled reputation that created traditionalist employment with the goal of longevity while achieving promotions. To the over 2.7 million people employed in the insurance industry2, the offer of a stable career path, competitive compensation, and adequate benefits was sufficient. Its formal top-down, hierarchical management structure allows everyone to understand their role and place within their department, with underwriting, claims, sales, and IT being the center of the business. In addition to employment longevity, this structure created deep experience and continuity.
However, retirements and a cooling interest in the industry by younger generations have created a human capital chasm and a greater sense of urgency for change.
Remote and hybrid work not only offer flexibility to employees, they also provide a boon to insurance carriers and agencies who can expand their talent pool beyond limiting geographics around centralized offices.
Insurance is Human Intensive - Where the Industry is Headed
For more than a decade, the conversation has been about the impact of retiring baby boomers on the insurance industry. Ten years ago, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated the insurance industry would need to fill more than 400,000 jobs by 20203 due to an onslaught of retirements. That reality hasn’t materialized as quickly as predicted, and the good news is that many insurance companies are already taking action.
According to recent research from Strategy Meets Action (SMA), 90% of property/casualty carriers are currently working on strategic initiatives around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), employee engagement, and hybrid workplaces. Even better, 60% of insurance companies surveyed said they are enthusiastic about making this type of culture change – one of the highest percentages seen around the issue of culture in the workplace. These initiatives are not just for insurance carriers. They apply to all levels of the insurance vertical.
As the insurance industry looks ahead, it faces a dynamic paradigm shift in its human capital business model. Younger workers seek careers that offer job satisfaction, not just longevity. These emerging professionals have expectations beyond salary, benefits, and job security. Work-life balance, cultural fit, and alignment to purpose and passion, with no expectations for any golden handshake, are new guardrails.
As carriers and agencies begin to reconsider various strategic talent initiatives including DEI, sustainability, hybrid work models, and technology investments, they must ask the right cultural change questions.
The continued advances in insurtech are critical to the growth of the industry. The next generation of insurance professionals is more digitally enabled and tech-savvy than their predecessors. They expect roles and processes that focus on efficiency and user interfaces supported by tools, software, and platforms equal to those they use in their personal lives. They assume the work will be digitally enabled and can’t comprehend manual workarounds, pushing paper, or re-keying. SMA research shows that 94% of executives expect significant technology changes in commercial lines underwriting over ten years.
Remote and hybrid work options are here to stay as it is considered an integral piece to a work-life balance and has proved to be successful in practice. According to a survey done by PwC, 83% of employers now say the shift to remote work has been successful, and 79% of employees say the flexibility needed to achieve family matters because of remote work has been a success4. Remote and hybrid work not only offer flexibility to employees, but they also provide a boon to insurance carriers and agencies who can expand their talent pool beyond limiting geographics around centralized offices.
The past generations will retire at a fast pace moving forward, and the insurance industry needs to attract and retain new talent. The industry is better off by continuing the paradigm shift to charge ahead in addressing the needs of the people within the industry in conjunction with its business goals. The alternative is that the industry risks being stuck in the past and an afterthought to the next generation.
How Insurance Continues its Evolution
As carriers and agencies begin to reconsider various strategic talent initiatives including DEI, sustainability, hybrid work models, and technology investments, they must ask the right cultural change questions.
Those questions need to include asking employees what they think about culture, mission, purpose, and roles. By asking these questions, carriers will hear their voices and the truth of their organizations. Of course, companies also need to keep in mind the industry’s vital focus on the customer and customer experience.
Once carriers have the voice of their employees, the right tools to foster a culture shift and new talent strategy will begin to emerge. A few points to consider:
- Lead with a culture refresh. Dust off the 100-year-old culture playbook. Listen to the voices of employees and the marketplace. Then, let culture drive talent strategies, rethinking roles and processes first. Next, roll out technology investment plans. This culture-first approach will boost all levels of talent strategies.
- New talent strategies. Make human resources, talent, and professional learning strategic priorities. Most companies put employees and customers at the center – and rightfully so. But today, elevating the focus and priority of new talent strategies and culture evolutions is critical. Look at new business models for finding and recruiting talent while seeking new ways to retain top talent with 21st-century roles. This will ensure talent and culture remain central.
- New business models. The people business model is traditional. Many departments within carriers and agencies work and budget by headcount or full-time employee. It’s time to challenge that metric. It’s now a global gig economy, with budding entrepreneurs willing to share their knowledge. Take advantage of it. Consider what roles must be full-time, which could be part-time, and which should be partnered with consulting and outsourcing firms. Talent needs to be empowered and engaged.
- Make hybrid and remote work your strength. Culture was modeled on employees in an office, sitting side-by-side, managing, mentoring, and educating face-to-face. That’s not the case anymore. Every business is currently exploring what a hybrid and remote workplace will look like and how it aligns with an evolving culture. Don’t fight it; embrace it. Create the physical office space that invites employees to spend time and collaborate in the office when they need to. Employ work productivity technologies with a lens for how this reimagined work environment functions, collaborates, and innovates. These tools should invite in-person, remote, and hybrid employees to gather on a level playing field while also allowing each employee to feel they provide a valued contribution to the organization regardless of their work location.
Remember, the hard truth is this: The insurance workplace has been upended and changed forever. Embrace the reality of how and where work is done and by whom. Embrace it all. Energize your strategies and plans and create the next generation of talent in a refreshed culture to ensure future success.
- https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/strategy/us-cons-human-capital-trends-in-the-insurance-industry.pdf
- https://policyadvice.net/insurance/insights/insurance-industry/
- https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Financial-Services/dttl-fsi-Talent2020-Insurance-05292013.pdf
- https://www.pwc.com/us/en/library/covid-19/us-remote-work-survey.html
