As a Founder and Vice President of Alive Insurance, I was intrigued by this article from Liberty Mutual and Safeco: The State of Women in Independent Insurance Agencies
The news is mostly good. Women make up the majority of independent agency employees, however, there is still room to grow. “Women are over-represented in the entry-level and service positions but are still under-represented in leadership positions," said Crista Walker, VP of agent engagement at Safeco. "More than half of women between the ages 23 and 49 say that they were interested in becoming a partner...and more than one in four wanted to learn about steps to buy or start an agency," Walker continued.
What can be done? 2.5 million women have left the workforce since the beginning of the pandemic, often because they "felt the pressure of being the primary caregiver." Work/life balance is cited as a top priority for women, and that is more achievable than ever with a career in insurance, with options to work from home, and to work a flexible schedule. Agencies that hold diversity, inclusion and empathy as core values will attract great employees, but they also need to identify and nurture talent so that they can retain and promote employees to positions of leadership. Employees who find purpose in their work and have a heart to serve others make excellent leaders, and should be shown a specific path to grow into a leadership role that includes mentorship, training, and pay equity with their male peers.
I am proud to report that while women make up 60% of employees and 31% of leadership in the independent insurance industry, at Alive Insurance, women represent 75% of employees, and 50% of leadership! Click here to: Meet Our Team
I believe that it's a worthwhile effort to hire, promote, and retain more women in independent insurance agencies. Liberty Mutual and Safeco have been leading the way by creating a work environment of inclusion, and by offering our leaders and employees resources so that we can do the same within our agencies. I look forward to learning more about how we can continue to improve, and how we can continue to empower all of our employees to keep doing what they love within a great workplace culture.
Sources:
The State of Women in Independent Insurance Agencies
Insurance is a Great Industry for Women, but Imbalances Linger