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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.

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Reinvigorating Leadership Development Plans for the Virtual Age

As the insurance industry moves forward in a largely virtual environment, organizations must look at talent development through a new lens. Our white paper shares how leaders can realign their leadership development strategies with the current state of work.

8 Tips to Ensure Project Success

Keeping insurance organizations running smoothly is more important than ever, and an experienced staffing firm can be a valuable resource for filling talent gaps or handling special projects. As organizations embrace the hybrid staffing model, there are several things we recommend to help develop a strong partnership with your interim staffing partner and, ultimately, ensure the success of any project. Most of these tips can apply to internal special project teams, as well. Define your project needs. Before opening discussions with a firm, determine your goals and metrics. Will you consider an assignment a success if the consultant simply completes the tasks as outlined at the start of the engagement, or do you need someone who can take on new projects as priorities change? Will an independent, task-oriented expert suffice; or would a team-focused employee with an improvement mindset be a better fit? Consider what you need from a temporary staff member. The questions you may ask when interviewing for a permanent role are not always applicable to interim resources. You likely don’t need to know where a temporary employee plans to be in five years, for example, but you do need to understand their technical aptitude and work style. Review the questions you plan to ask when meeting with prospective consultants and adapt them to be relevant to each temporary need. Your talent provider will likely facilitate this process and provide their expertise regarding key requirements for different roles. Rethink location requirements. As remote work has become the norm in recent months, you may now feel more comfortable with employees working from home. If you typically require staff to spend some amount of time on-site, it could be beneficial to reconsider whether or not it’s truly necessary. An effective staffing partner should be able to provide consultants capable of managing their own workloads to meet expectations, whether they work remotely or in your office. Set reasonable expectations. When outlining essential qualifications for your project, narrow your “must-haves” list to the top three to five skills, separating additional characteristics into a list of preferences. You don’t want to lose time looking for the single professional with an exact combination of specific competencies that may not all be critical for your project, if they exist at all. After determining the level of expertise required, craft your budget accordingly. Develop realistic timelines. Take a close look at your anticipated start date. Will onboarding materials be ready? Will your staff trainer be available? Additionally, estimate the duration of the project. A contract worker may have other commitments, and sharing a realistic end date enables your staffing partner to find the best professional for the assignment. Get ahead of potential obstacles. When you meet with a talent provider to discuss a need, share technology requirements early on, as this may affect sourcing strategies and onboarding timelines. Setting up system access and completing background checks can also slow down the process; determine your company’s requirements and share these with your staffing partner. Any other specifications unique to your company should also be relayed before outreach efforts begin. Prepare involved parties to respond quickly and completely. The biggest delays often come as a result of misalignment with decision-makers. Find out who will need to weigh in throughout the process. Then, ensure responsible parties understand when they’ll be required to contribute and how quickly they’re expected to respond. The market is still relatively tight, so this will ensure you don’t lose out on the best insurance talent due to internal delays. Prioritize consistent communication. The most important feature of a successful partnership is effective communication, both internally and with your staffing firm. Communicating in a timely manner is essential throughout an engagement to ensure ongoing alignment. Further, sharing continual feedback allows your talent partner to proactively adjust to meet your needs and better serve you in the future, ultimately aiding your company in achieving your enterprise goals. The right staffing partner can enable you to be nimble and quickly adapt to changing talent needs. By establishing your goals and setting clear expectations, you’ll be able to leverage interim resources who can immediately make an impact. View the full infographic here.

Jacobson Employee Spotlight – Q3 2020

We recently wrapped up the Q3 2020 Semi-Annual U.S. Insurance Labor Outlook Study in partnership with Aon plc. Despite the tumultuous overall economic climate, 83 percent of the study's respondents intend to maintain or increase their staff sizes in the next 12 months. Additionally, insurers are seeing persistent recruiting difficulty. The corporate employees represented in this quarter's employee spotlight roundup are integral in helping our clients meet their insurance talent needs, whether through our executive search practice, professional recruiting service arm or subject matter experts solution. SARAH RADFORD Recruiter, 2 years at Jacobson Hometown: Clarendon Hills, Illinois Alma Mater: University of Mississippi Describe Your Role: As a recruiter in our professional recruiting solution, I set out to find the perfect individual for each position. I love that I get to speak with candidates from all parts of the country and discuss such a wide variety of roles! Favorite Thing about Jacobson: I love working with such amazing people. I have made great friends, and it’s comforting to know everyone at Jacobson is there to help you when you need it! Jacobson in Three Words: Collaborative, Supportive, Fun Favorite Music: Country! I usually attend multiple concerts each year, but now I'm just listening to playlists at home.  Surprising Fact about You: I was an Irish dancer when I was younger. I'm about 95 percent Irish! JOYCE DUNN Vice President and Managing Director, 10 years at Jacobson Hometown: Abbeville, South Carolina Alma Mater: Lander University for my Bachelor of Science in business/accounting and Florida State University for my Master of Science in Management in insurance and risk management Describe Your Role: As a managing director within Jacobson’s executive search practice, I support client relationships, evaluate candidates and direct the internal team regarding search strategy. I am passionate about delivering a consultative talent solution for our clients. Favorite Dessert: Peach cobbler Surprising Fact about You: I enjoy playing the piano. Jacobson in Three Words: Integrity, Client-focused, High-quality KAREN AIELLO Assistant Vice President of Account Management, 12 years at Jacobson Hometown: Crystal Lake, Illinois Describe Your Role: I manage consultants who are assisting clients on temporary projects and remove any roadblocks in their way so each project is as successful as possible. I also support the client relationship, ensuring our consultants meet expectations and our clients are happy with the results. Jacobson Superpower: Breaking an awkward silence with a funny one-liner Best Piece of Advice: Make sure you can honor your promises. If you don’t have an answer, it’s better to say “I don’t know” and get back to them with the right answer than to guess. Jacobson in Three Words: Focused, Accommodating, Ethical MEGHAN SYLVESTER Senior Researcher, 5 years at Jacobson Hometown: Chicago Heights, Illinois Alma Mater: Western Illinois University Describe Your Role: As a senior researcher, I work alongside our team of recruiters, supporting them by identifying potential candidates for our clients. Favorite Music: Country music Weekend Plans: Spending time with my husband, Bobby, and our son, Eli Surprising Fact about You: I am a soon-to-be-certified personal trainer! Best Piece of Advice: Without strategy, execution is aimless. Without execution, strategy is useless. For more insight on the industry’s hiring plans, view the full labor study report or infographic.

Insurers Say They’re Having Trouble Recruiting New Employees

Published on Insurance Journal: Insurance Journal takes a look at highlights of The Jacobson Group and Aon plc's 2020 Q3 U.S. Insurance Labor Outlook Study results.

Q3 2020 Labor Market Study Results Infographic

The results of the third quarter iteration of the 2020 U.S. Insurance Labor Outlook Study are now available. The study, led by The Jacobson Group and Aon, examines insurance industry labor and hiring trends. Learn more about industry staffing projections and revenue trends in this infographic highlighting the study. .

Revealed – what will happen to insurance industry employment in the next 12 months

Published on Insurance Business America IBA hares key findings from The Jacobson Group and Aon plc's Q3 2020 Insurance Industry Labor Market Outlook Study.

Insurance Industry Still Plans to Add Staff Over Next 12 Months: Staffing Firm Survey STAFFING FIRM SURVEY

Published on Staffing Industry Analysts examines how the insurance industry is holding up during the pandemic, as compared to the overall economy. They reference the results of The Jacobson Group and Aon plc's recent insurance labor market study.

Many Life Insurers Plan to Add Employees: Jacobson

Published on ThinkAdvisor explores the impact of The Jacobson Group and Aon plc's Q3 2020 Insurance Industry Labor Market Outlook Study on life, health and annuity issuers.

Insurers Plan to Hire But Recruitment Struggles Remain

Published on Carrier Management: Carrier Management takes a look at the results of The Jacobson Group and Aon plc's Q3 2020 Insurance Industry Labor Market Outlook Study results.

Insurance Recruiting Difficulty Remains High, Despite the Pandemic

The Q3 2020 Semi-Annual U.S. Insurance Labor Outlook Study results have been released. Conducted by The Jacobson Group and Aon plc, the study examines data collected on insurance industry hiring, as well as revenue trends and projections. It has provided valuable information to the industry for more than a decade. A few key insights from the most recent iteration of the study are highlighted below. To view the full report, click here. Despite the tumultuous overall economic climate, the insurance industry remains relatively stable. Eighty-three percent of the study’s respondents intend to maintain or increase their staff sizes in the next 12 months. The primary drivers of staffing changes are anticipated shifts in business volume and adjustments to areas currently over or understaffed. For the companies planning to add staff, technology, underwriting and analytics roles are the most in demand. The operations and actuarial functions are the most likely to add entry-level employees and underwriting is the function most likely to add executive-level talent. If the industry follows through on its expected plans for the next 12 months, we should see a 0.99 percent increase in industry employment, creating new jobs. “There’s been a pause, but not necessarily a change in direction, at a lot of companies,” said Gregory P. Jacobson, Jacobson’s co-CEO, in a webinar presentation.However, recruiting difficulty will persist. According to the study, recruiting has become at least slightly more difficult for eight of 11 functional areas, compared to one year ago. Actuarial, technology and analytics positions are considered the most difficult for carriers to fill, with product line having a significant impact on the ease of filling positions. While employment will continue to grow in the next 12 months, it will be at a significantly slower pace. In terms of revenue, 58 percent of companies expect growth, which is 19 percentage points lower than January 2020. Thirty percent of companies expect revenue to remain the same, compared to about 17 percent six months ago. Large companies are the most optimistic about revenue for the coming year, with 73 percent expecting growth. The Q3 2020 iteration of the study also explored the options available to employees as physical offices begin to reopen. More than three-quarters of carriers plan to allow employees to occasionally work from home, 53 percent plan to provide flexible hours and almost half will offer full-time remote work. It’s likely these flexible work options will help level the playing field for smaller companies looking to attract top talent. For more insight on the industry’s hiring plan, view the full report or infographic. To learn how to best attract, hire and onboard talent in the evolving insurance environment, view our recent white paper, Effective Recruitment Strategies for a Remote Reality.

Q3 2020 U.S. Insurance Labor Market Study Results

The Jacobson Group and Aon-Ward conducted a study to investigate hiring trends within the insurance industry. The following presents the findings of an insurance labor survey conducted in the third quarter of 2020...

The Insurance Industry Continues to Hire, Despite the Pandemic

For the past 12 years, The Jacobson Group and Aon plc have conducted a semi-annual study to uncover valuable information around insurance industry hiring and revenue trends. The Q3 2020 Semi-Annual U.S. Insurance Labor Outlook Study results have recently been released. A few key insights are highlighted below. To view the full report, click here. Despite the tumultuous overall economic climate, the insurance industry remains relatively stable. Eighty-three percent of insurance carriers intend to maintain or increase their staff sizes in the next year. The primary reasons for adding staff are anticipated increases in business volume and currently understaffed areas. Technology, underwriting and analytics positions are the most in demand. Operations and actuarial are the functions most likely to hire entry-level employees and underwriting is the function most in need of executive-level talent. If the industry follows through on its expected plans for the next 12 months, we should see a 0.99 percent increase in industry employment, creating new jobs. It’s likely the shift to remote work is here to stay for many insurers. The Q3 2020 iteration of the study explored the options available to employees as physical offices begin to reopen. More than three-quarters of carriers plan to allow employees to occasionally work from home, 53 percent plan to provide flexible hours and almost half will offer full-time remote work. In addition to contributing to employee satisfaction and allowing individuals to manage personal responsibilities, this shift will enable professionals to work across geographic locations. In terms of revenue, 58 percent of companies expect growth, 19 percentage points lower than January 2020. Thirty percent of companies expect revenue to remain the same, compared to about 17 percent six months ago. Large companies are the most optimistic for the coming year, with 73 percent expecting revenue growth. For more insight on the industry’s hiring plan, view the full report or infographic. For tips on job searching in the remote environment, read our recent blog post. View open industry positions here.