As the job market in the insurance industry remains extremely competitive, the ability to maintain good employees and attract new talent is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to achieving desired long-term goals for the agency.
The top employees at an agency want to know what their career opportunities are within the company therefore, creating a program focused on the continued success of employees is essential to developing and retaining top performers.
Investing in career roadmapping for employees benefits both the employee and the agency as it:
Creates a competitive edge in attracting new
talent: Individuals who are motivated, high performers are looking to join a company that will invest in their development.
Increases engagement with current employees:
Providing a program by which employees can understand and explore their options to grow with the company sends is a significant value add. Employees who feel valued are more engaged and will perform better in their jobs.
Higher Employee Retention:
Employees who do not see opportunities for growth with their current agency are more likely to move onto another organization where they feel they can achieve their goals. However, those who have a roadmap for career development can visualize a future with their current company.
An agency needs to be able to provide clarification on what opportunities exist within the company. This clarification is the first step in creating career roadmaps. Building an agency framework is necessary to accomplish this and should include:
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Job description for all roles in the agency.
- These job descriptions should be complete with responsibilities and required skills and competencies to fill that role. This description could also be expanded on with any training or certifications that an individual needs for the job. Check out this article from the balancecareers for details on How to Develop a Job Description.
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An agency roadmap for all roles in the agency.
- This map should show all potential jobs within an agency, including both horizontal and vertical job changes. Some employees will be looking for something different, while others will be looking for promotions. The map also clarifies the progression of roles for individuals to be eligible for an advanced position.
These details will provide employees insight into the opportunity that exists within the agency. Equipped with this information, leaders, and employees can have meaningful conversations about individual career roadmaps. As those discussions take place, leaders must be prepared to provide support to employees in their ongoing development through on-the-job and outside training, job shadowing, mentoring, and coaching.
Creating and implementing career roadmaps can be challenging and time-consuming. However, this proactive approach sets both the organization and its employees up for continued, long-term success.
For more information on developing an onboarding and training plan that will help your agency stand out in a competitive job market, check out Total CSR’s Definitive Guide to Practical Insurance Onboarding.
About the Author
Justin Goodman has spent the past 20 years in insurance. He is the co-founder and CEO of Total CSR and co-founder and Managing Director of Project 55. By the age of 29, he was recognized as one of the top five construction insurance experts nationwide by Risk and Insurance Magazine. He also was named to Insurance Business Magazine’s Hot 100 and most recently the 2024 Insurance Journal Agent of the Year. Justin has trained over 50,000 CSR’s, account managers and producers through his work at Total CSR. He has a passion for developing the next generation of insurance professionals. When not with his family, he devotes his free time to speaking engagements and advising agency owners across the country.
