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Latest Insurance Talent Perspectives

The Human Element of AI Transformation

Discover ways to effectively navigate through AI transformation. Only 4% of companies say they’re creating real value from their AI investments. The key differentiator is how well organizations manage the human side of implementation. 

Download the white paper to explore best practices for taking a human-focused approach as you lead through change.

Recruiter Report: Find the “Perfect” Candidate

Finding top talent remains difficult in today’s labor market. However, holding out for the “perfect” candidate may mean losing out on high-potential individuals that would thrive in the role.

Read our blog post gain insights on redefining what the ideal candidate looks like and share how to take a realistic and future-focused approach to making the right hire.

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Recruiting for Skills, Not Experience

There is not enough talent to meet the current industry's hiring needs, and a common mistake organizations make is narrowing the candidate pool with specific experience requirements. It is important for companies to look beyond a candidate's experience and instead focus on finding talent with the skills necessary to drive future success.

5 Keys to Unlocking the Optimal Customer Experience

In today's customer-centric market, perfecting the customer experience has become vital to success. Insurers can gain an edge by building faultless processes and cultivating genuine, knowledgeable employees. Forward-thinking organizations are developing teams of versatile representatives to provide a seamless customer experience.

Top Considerations in Care Management

With many priorities shifting within the managed care industry, organizations are working to adapt to a variety of changes such as value-based care and an influx of newly insured individuals. Focusing on teamwork and customer service is the key to success. Companies must embrace cross-functional collaboration, value-based care and a customer-centric emphasis to best service their members.

Succession Planning: How the Board Can Drive Success

It is important to increase the visibility of an organization's succession planning and make it a boardroom priority. By doing so, companies can improve their chance for continued success.

Insurance Careers Movement: Open Letter to College Graduates

The Jacobson Group is proud to partner with a number of industry organizations in leading the Insurance Careers Movement (ICM). Dedicated to engaging emerging talent and educating them about the industry, ICM continues to raise awareness of insurance as a desirable career choice. Already, we have helped to grow this movement to more than 850 insurance carriers, agents/brokers, trade associations and industry partners worldwide. As insurance experiences nearly non-existent unemployment rates, now is the time to encourage young professionals to join the industry. Wondering how to make your case? Jacobson's Co-CEO Gregory P. Jacobson recently wrote an Open Letter to College Graduates outlining the many opportunities in insurance. Read his letter below, and share your own on social media during the month of June using #InsuranceCareersMovement and #OpenLetterToCollegeGraduates. You can download the letter here.

Boardroom View 1.2: Succession Planning – How the Board Can Drive Success

This issue's feature article explores the importance of having the board of directors oversee and prioritize the succession planning process. By doing so, companies can dramatically improve their chance for continued success.

How to Manage Remote Underwriting Staff

In the current candidate-driven labor market, many insurers are unable to find qualified underwriters locally. As the war for talent deepens and the nature of underwriting continues to evolve, executives will need to consider providing work-at-home programs to stay competitive in the marketplace. By digitizing systems and creating intentional and well-defined remote work policies, businesses can make the most of the telecommuting trend.

Succession Planning: What to Expect

Planning for succession often starts early and can take years to effectively complete. Well-designed plans identify talent gaps and include a timeline for action. By developing an effective succession process, organizations can promote the long-term sustainability of business goals and talent retention.

The CEO’s Role in Selecting a Successor

One of the most difficult business endeavors a CEO may ever face is the selection of a successor. While the CEOs level of involvement varies from organization to organization, there are a few key considerations and challenges most CEOs face during the succession process.

Focus on the First Five Days: Setting Temporary Workers Up for Success

Temporary talent is an important component of a comprehensive human capital plan. Insurance organizations must be nimble and able to quickly calibrate to support workloads, busy seasons, employee leaves and special projects. As the gig economy grows and becomes more commonplace, the ability to effectively leverage short-term employees is imperative. According to Mercer’s 2019 Global Talent Trends Study, nearly 80 percent of executives across all industries think full-time employees will be significantly replaced by gig workers in a few years. Within the insurance industry, developing programs for temporary employees is a top priority for human resources teams and 18 percent of insurers plan to increase their use of temporary staff in 2019. Organizations are tasked with blending contractors and freelancers into their workforces and ensuring all parties are able to work effectively. A temporary employee’s first week is vital in setting them up to flourish throughout the entirety of an engagement. There are several ways hiring managers can help interim staff get up to speed and quickly start making an impact. Begin onboarding before the first day. Start the onboarding process prior to your temporary employee’s first day of work. This often includes an orientation call with both the staffing firm and the hiring manager. On this call, the employee should receive information such as a schedule for the first day, where to report, appropriate attire and what to bring. To complement the call, provide an orientation packet the employee can use for reference. This can be created in partnership with your staffing firm and should include pertinent details such as the office address (if the employee is on site), names and contact information for key personnel on both the company and staffing agency sides, any necessary compliance forms and information on your company. Set clear expectations. A vital factor in a successful engagement is laying out clear expectations around projects, deliverables and in some cases, the potential to convert to full-time employment. This will vary based on the type of position and work arrangements. For instance, while many temporary employees work on site, subject matter experts and consultants may go into the office for the first week and then work remotely for the remainder of their assignments. In this type of model, it’s even more important details around deadlines, touchpoints and communication preferences are understood.   Treat them as an extension of your team. Although temporary staff may only be part of your team for a few months, immerse them in your company culture and help them foster relationships with those they will be interacting with on a regular basis. During the first day or two, introduce them to team members and provide a contact for any questions that may come up about the department, office or culture. Help keep your temporary employees engaged and motivated by including them in team meetings and sharing the organization’s overall goals. While a project may be short-term, individuals should feel connected to your organization and that their work is meaningful. Provide frequent feedback and establish future checkpoints. Feedback is especially helpful during the first week. This provides an opportunity to ensure all parties are aligned and if necessary, to course correct before potential issues arise. Have a formal check in after the employee’s first day to make sure all technology is working appropriately, access has been granted for the right systems and there are no lingering logistical questions. Establish ongoing checkpoints to allow temporary staff to share any issues or roadblocks they may experience moving forward. Additionally, keep your staffing agency looped in to ensure any performance feedback is provided early on. By focusing on the first five days, insurers can set gig employees up to be productive and effective, while helping both parties have a positive experience. For more on onboarding temporary employees and keeping them engaged throughout the entirety of their assignments, view our recent white paper, Managing for Excellence in the Gig Economy.  

What to Look for in a Professional Recruiting Firm

Recently, Forbes named The Jacobson Group to its 2019 List of America’s Best Recruiting Firms. We’re proud to share that we ranked in both of the list’s categories: executive search and professional recruiting. The main purpose of the Forbes list is to help companies select the right recruiting firms for their needs. There are a number of options when selecting a recruiting partner and weighing the similarities, benefits, pros and cons can be challenging. Typically, companies rank the following qualities very important when making their selection: Presentation of quality talent and well-vetted candidates Understanding of business and specific needs Easy to work with Insurance industry-specific knowledge Timely communication Experience with similar positions These are all valuable and important criteria. However, many reputable agencies meet these standards to varying degrees. Throughout our nearly 50 years of experience providing talent to the insurance industry, we’ve found there are a number of additional factors that can help ensure the best fit and a successful outcome. It’s a partnership. Choose a firm that focuses on the best interests of your organization and is able to act as a consultant and true business partner. The right recruiting firm should know your industry well and have the experience and expertise to serve as a trusted advisor in helping make informed hiring decisions. Keep in mind whoever you partner with is going to represent you to the talent community, so it’s important to choose wisely. Both what they know and who they know matters. Often, organizations will enlist the help of a third-party firm after exhausting their own efforts. It’s vital that your recruiting firm’s talent network and resources are substantial enough to add real value, rather than simply duplicate previous efforts. For example, as a niche firm with nearly five decades of service to the insurance industry, Jacobson has built an extensive professional network. Yet while it’s often said, “It’s not what you know, but who you know,” we believe it is a blend of both. A deep knowledge and understanding of the industry, coupled with an extensive talent network is a formula for success. If you want quality talent, you have to get creative. With record low unemployment in the insurance industry, there are more jobs than there are qualified professionals to fill them. Compounded by the aging insurance workforce, it’s likely the tight labor market won’t be changing anytime soon. Simply said, it’s a candidate’s market and employees are no longer the ones in the drivers’ seats. In order to hire quality talent, insurers and their recruiting firms need to get creative. Today’s talent community is passive and often bombarded with recruiter inquiries. Candidates must be wooed by potential opportunities in order to want to move forward. Recruiters should have a thorough understanding of the market and leverage this knowledge to craft thoughtful messaging focused on why a position is desirable for the candidate. In addition to messaging, recruiters should recognize remote work is now common and relocation is not necessary to acquire top talent. Getting creative with workplace accommodations is essential in tapping into an even larger candidate pool. Communication is key. In any good partnership, frequent and clear communication is key to producing successful outcomes; it’s no different with your recruiting partners. Engaging in regular dialogue about your search strategy, the talent pipeline, candidates under consideration and next steps is essential. This enables you to act quickly and avoid missing out on candidates who would otherwise move forward with organizations that show greater interest and motivation. Flexibility enables continual optimization. During the sourcing process, certain criteria may require adjustments such as desired skills, title, credentials or compensation. Recruiting firms should be able to provide insight into the talent community and make adjustments to the candidate flow based on this information. While candidate criteria is typically set early on in the process, your team should be nimble in listening to the marketplace and adjusting as needed. Ambassadors can help share your story. Insurers in smaller markets likely have great name recognition within their own cities, but may be unknown outside the immediate vicinity. When casting a wide net, it’s hard to get professionals, especially passive candidates, to take an unfamiliar call. By enlisting a recruiting firm with name recognition, it’s more likely these candidates will entertain the opportunity. Additionally, your recruiting firm should serve as an ambassador, educating candidates about your company and articulating why it might be a good fit. There are a number of factors that should go into choosing the right team to take on your positions. Especially in a tight labor market, your recruiting partner is essential in expanding your reach and creating a tailored strategy that will result in success. If you are interested in learning more or hearing about how Jacobson handles professional recruiting assignments for our clients, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Developing a New Type of Leader

In today's quickly changing business environment, insurers must focus on identifying their leaders and determining best practices for developing their strengths. By doing so, organizations will be well-positioned to navigate through current and future challenges.