Insurance professionals at every career stage are being met with unique opportunities and challenges in today’s environment. Our LinkedIn audience has shared their approach to professional growth, recognition and more – from both the employee and employer perspectives. Below is a glimpse into their current attitudes, priorities and expectations.
Despite economic uncertainties, insurance professionals remain open to new opportunities. An overwhelming 66% of respondents indicated they are very likely to explore a new job right now. In total, 77% are likely or very likely to explore a new opportunity, which represents a slight decrease from our 2023 poll when 81% were open to career moves. The impact for employers is two-fold, with a need to both focus on identifying and re-engaging these individuals, while ensuring they are competitive in recruiting outside talent.
When it comes to professional development, building professional connections (38%) and participating in continuing education (37%) top the list of professional development goals for 2025. These are followed by seeking mentorship (15%) and other approaches (10%). As an employer, consider how you can support employees in their growth, whether it’s creating individualized development plans or helping facilitate connections within your organization.
With so many opportunities in the insurance space, it’s important for companies to have a clear understanding of what keeps people at their organization. Being recognized as top talent (35%) is the number one reason individuals would stay with their employer, followed by clear career paths (29%) and personalized development plans (24%). Take the time to identify and recognize your high performing individuals, while prioritizing open lines of communication around career pathing.
While professional development and clear career planning are important to employees, 63% of respondents shared their company has no formal employee development programs in place. Of those that do have formal programs, 23% shared they are fairly basic and just 15% would consider them to be comprehensive. However, this is progress compared to 2022, when nearly three-quarters of respondents said their companies lacked any formal programs.
Employers are adopting a more flexible approach to hiring, recognizing that past “red flags” may no longer pose an issue in the evolving environment. Employment gaps (8%) and lack of specific keywords (10%) are less of an issue, yet frequent job hopping is still seen as a concern by 39% of respondents. Forty-three percent shared that context matters when it comes to reviewing resumes.
For more insights from our LinkedIn Polls, view “Polling Results: Hiring and Engaging Talent in 2025.” To participate in future polls, follow us on LinkedIn.