Gone are the days where insurance organizations could do a mass recruitment drive, employ a generalist to speak about the benefits of joining the industry and expect to generate mass recruitment. Truthfully, the younger generation approaches their job search differently than their predecessors and with a higher level of skepticism. They are known to do their due diligence before they even agree to an interview and have a consumer mindset when picking their next career move. An organization’s first impression is no longer made at an in-person interview, it’s made online, and if the organization shows up with mixed reviews from current and former employees, the chances are high that a talented candidate has lost interest in applying.
Like many industries, insurance is no exception to the recruitment challenges that this generation is posing. Business leaders are struggling because they may have an antiquated recruitment strategy to grow their teams and their organization hasn’t kept up with updating the company’s brand.
Crawford pivoted their recruitment tactics especially post-pandemic after the great resignation and as career searches drastically changed. Crawford Canada’s talent acquisition team quickly pivoted to ensure that they were tapping into the younger talent pool. While it continues to be no easy feat, what the team realized was that we already have experts who could provide insight and help update some of the processes. Who better to ask than employees of that said generation?
When our millennial and GenZ Crawford employees were asked how our organization should combat these challenges, we quickly realized that the solutions are quite easy and realistic to rollout. Some of Crawford’s GenZ employees shared their first impressions of insurance:
“My initial thoughts about the industry were boring, older people and slow-paced. I was obviously wrong but there was no one to tell me otherwise”.
Crawford has committed to a new grad recruitment program which was designed to hire the next generation of insurance leaders. This program includes succession planning to backfill to the waves of retirement expected to impact the industry in years to come. These new hires will work in different areas in the first two years on the job, receiving training and mentorship from experienced adjusters.
Another Crawford Canada initiative includes managing a successful co-op program where future graduates are welcome to build experience in the industry while still pursuing their education. In prior generations, many who now hold senior level titles started as a co-op student and grew their career from the ground up at Crawford. Early on, Crawford committed to nurturing young talent and helping to get a new graduate’s foot in the door, a tactic which we still employ.
“I enjoyed my time as a co-op student here because of the fun culture and flexibility. Eventually, when offered a full-time position after graduation, I took the job. I took the job because I liked the culture at Crawford”.
It is worth acknowledging that even if the industry doesn’t quite have the same pizzazz as some other large enterprises, corporate culture can absolutely influence someone’s decision making when considering a role. If the organization has a positive reputation and a clear path for growth and advancement, a lot of the boxes for a younger job seeker have already been ticked.
But what remains the greatest barrier for recruitment in the insurance industry? When we asked this new era of employees, their answers were all incredibly similar.
“There isn’t anyone telling the insurance story”.
For starters, we should let them in on the secret that only insiders seem to know; the industry is very social, fun and filled with networking events. It is adapting to technology in a way and at a pace not previously seen before. It’s an industry that offers flexibility, autonomy, ownership, mentorship and supports skill development. Insurance is a people-oriented industry and spreading the message that insurance is a welcoming, will hopefully help more young and up-and-coming professionals consider insurance as their career choice.
