By SandraM
The podcast currently has 49 episodes available.
Summary
This episode is sponsored by Arthur.
On 12th September, 100 Women in Insurance, Arthur Recruitment, and MS Amlin collaborated on an event titled "Cultivating Inclusive Cultures: Best Practices for Retaining Female Talent in Insurance."
To capture these incredible insights, we recorded the panel discussion, which included the inspiring women in insurance, Gemma Lines, Vicki Filler, and Susan Andrew.
The panel discussion explores themes surrounding women's careers in the insurance industry, focusing on the realities of flexible working, the purpose behind returners' programmes and proven strategies to create an inclusive culture that increases female talent retention.
The panellists share their stories, expertise, and honest views on this topic, offering best practices for making an impact on individuals and organisations.
Takeaways
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and panel overview
Summary:
Join Farirai Gora, an independent consultant in the insurance industry, as she shares her journey through her career, starting her own insurance company, and her transformative experiences in the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme.
Her commitment to improving reproductive health support in workplaces is impressive. Farirai’s story is one of resilience and powerful advocacy.
Takeaways:
Explore the pros and cons of contracting a career in insurance.
Learn about the deeper roots of imposter syndrome, often linked to systemic oppression, and how it particularly affects women, people of colour, and marginalised groups.
Understand the urgent need for better reproductive healthcare in workplaces—a need historically overlooked by the insurance industry.
Recognise how ignoring reproductive health can cost economies billions and how addressing it can drastically improve corporate productivity and employee satisfaction.
Find out more about the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme
Sound Bites:
"I fell into insurance like many of us, finding it a rich field for growth and never looking back."
"Contracting gives you the freedom to tackle specialised, complex issues that are often overlooked internally."
"Imposter syndrome reflects deeper systemic issues, impacting those who are often left out of the mainstream narratives."
"Addressing reproductive health in workplaces is not just a healthcare issue but a significant economic concern."
"When companies support reproductive health, they see tremendous gains in loyalty and reduced absenteeism."
Farirai’s insights provide a powerful look into how personal experiences and professional challenges can drive significant industry changes, making a strong case for more inclusive and supportive corporate policies.
About the Guest:
Visit We Are Eden: www.we-are-eden.com
Connect with Farirai Gora on LinkedIn: Farirai Gora | LinkedIn
Interest Form: Join Us
About the Host:
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Discover the 100 Women In Insurance Collective dedicated to connecting women in insurance: www.100womenininsurance.com/collective.
Summary
Join us on the 100 Women in Insurance Podcast as Hamide Karakaya shares her compelling journey of resilience and overcoming imposter syndrome. Hamide discusses the unique challenges she faced moving to a new country during the pandemic and navigating a significant cyber attack at her company. She also delves into the power of storytelling through her podcast and the critical role of building relationships in the insurance sector.
Takeaways
Moving to a new country during a pandemic can be challenging, but it also builds resilience.
Imposter syndrome is common, but you can overcome it by asking questions, seeking support, and breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
Sharing stories and experiences through a podcast can inspire and connect with others.
Building relationships and networking are essential in the insurance industry for both personal and professional growth.
Emphasising human connection and vulnerability is key to personal and career development.
Sound Bites
"Moving from one country to another in the middle of a pandemic was very challenging."
"I gained more confidence after the cyber attack. I realised I'm good at my job."
"Sharing my podcast with others made me feel more connected and accepted."
Resources
Discover the 100 Women In Insurance Collective dedicated to connecting women in insurance: www.100womenininsurance.com/collective.
About the Host
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Summary
This episode is sponsored by Arthur Recruitment.
Lorraine Harfitt, shares her journey in the insurance industry and discusses significant topics such as career progression, retention, and gender inclusivity. She highlights the importance of finding shared values within an organisation and the value of recognising individual contributions beyond gender. Lorraine delves into the necessity of open conversations and workplace flexibility, particularly for women mid-career. She highlights the value of diversity for businesses and suggests that promoting internal role models and allies can help close the gender gap.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
Resources:
Discover the 100 Women In Insurance Collective dedicated to connecting women in insurance: www.100womenininsurance.com/collective.
Episode 032 with Gemma Lines - Top Networking Tips for Saving Time and Maximising Your Connections
About the sponsor
Are you ready to take your insurance career or business to the next level? Meet Arthur, your trusted insurance search and recruitment partner. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Arthur specialises in connecting top talent with the biggest names in insurance. They can help you with your next career step or offer dynamic hiring solutions to help you achieve lasting success.
Discover how Arthur can take your career or business to the next level at arthur.co.uk or call 0203 5877 234.
About the Host:
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Summary:
This episode is sponsored by Send.
Veronica Field, a Director at Deloitte's Insurance Practice, shares her journey in the insurance industry, highlighting the blend of chance and luck that guided her career. She discusses how leveraging her technical background helped her carve a niche in insurance. Emphasising the importance of genuine relationships over superficial networking, Veronica explores the entrepreneurial nature of consulting that allows for shaping one's own destiny. She also highlights the value of vulnerability in leadership and the significant role it plays in problem-solving and building meaningful connections across the industry.
Takeaways:
Sound Bites:
Send is an award-winning insurance software company. Its flagship product is an AI-enabled Underwriting Workbench – a single platform from submission to bind and beyond. The platform helps commercial and speciality insurers around the world drive greater efficiency, control and effectiveness. It has rich out-of-the-box functionality, workflow templates for over 40 lines of business, and proven deployments in multiple geographies.
About the Host: Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Find out more about 100 Women In Insurance Collective, where we bring together women in insurance to network, enjoy fun events and find their own career success. The vision is to increase gender equality as well as senior female talent retention in insurance.
Summary:
This episode is sponsored by Send.
Join Hélène Stanway, an independent insurance advisor, as she shares her career journey and key insights. Hélène discusses the value of embracing unexpected opportunities and the continuous pursuit of learning. She explores the role of authenticity in diverse workplace cultures and delves into how AI is reshaping the insurance industry by addressing specific challenges. Hélène also emphasises the importance of developing expertise, continuous training, and the challenges of retaining talent. Additionally, she offers practical tips for effective networking and building professional connections.
Takeaways:
Soundbites:
About Send:
Send is an award-winning insurance software company. It’s flagship product is an AI-enabled Underwriting Workbench – a single platform from submission to bind, and beyond. The platform helps commercial and speciality insurers around the world drive greater efficiency, control and effectiveness. It has rich out-of-the-box functionality, workflow templates for over 40 lines of business, and proven deployments in multiple geographies.
About the Host: Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Find out more about 100 Women In Insurance Collective, where we bring together women in insurance to network, enjoy fun events and find their own career success. The vision is to increase gender equality as well as senior female talent retention in insurance.
TRIGGER WARNING - Please note that from minute 29 of the episode, we discuss baby loss, which may be triggering for some!
Summary
Donna Wayman, Chief Operating Officer at Zurich Legacy Solutions, shares her career journey and insights on flexible working in the insurance industry.
She discusses how she entered the insurance industry by chance and embraced opportunities for growth and development.
Donna emphasizes the importance of being open to different roles and experiences, even if they don't align with a strict career plan. She also highlights the value of having a generalist skill set and the ability to adapt to different roles and responsibilities.
Donna shares her experience with flexible working and the importance of setting boundaries to maintain work-life balance. Sandra discusses the importance of setting boundaries and finding a work-life blend that works for you.
Donna also shares her experience as a trustee for the charity Aching Arms, which provides support for families who have experienced baby loss.
Sandra and Donna emphasize the need for policies and training around baby loss in the workplace to support employees and their managers going through this difficult experience. Donna highlights the importance of empathy, listening, and avoiding insensitive comments when supporting someone who has experienced baby loss.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Career Journey
03:10 Embracing Opportunities and Adaptability
06:03 Navigating Career Changes and Redundancy
08:41 Flexible Working and Work-Life Balance
15:53 Setting Boundaries for Successful Flexible Working
21:13 Choosing What You Enjoy and What Aligns with Your Skills
29:39 Supporting Employees Through Baby Loss
39:14 Empathy and Sensitivity
Resources
About the Host
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Summary
Join Sandra in this enlightening episode as she engages in conversation with CJ De Guzman, an analytics engineer who has made significant strides in the insurance industry. Starting with a background in international business, CJ discusses her transition into insurance, fuelled by her passion for data analytics and strategic development. She shares insights into the pivotal role of mentors and supportive communities throughout her career and talks about her journey in overcoming imposter syndrome to become a role model herself.
Key Takeaways
Role models and supportive communities are crucial for overcoming imposter syndrome and enhancing industry support networks.
Being a role model involves setting an example and sharing knowledge and expertise.
Engaging with communities and maintaining visibility online is essential for connecting with peers and expanding professional networks.
The insurance industry offers unique and exciting opportunities for those interested in data and analytics.
The insurance sector provides significant career growth and development opportunities, even for those starting without a technical background.
Resources
Discover the 100 Women In Insurance Collective dedicated to connecting women in insurance: www.100womenininsurance.com/collective.
About the Host
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and explore more insights: Sandra’s LinkedIn
Summary
Gill White, Executive Director of Member Engagement and Learning for the Chartered Insurance Institute, shares her journey into the insurance industry, her interest in positive psychology, and the importance of professional qualifications. She emphasises the value of continuous learning and the impact it can have on one's career. Gill also discusses the role of positive psychology in personal and professional development, highlighting the power of conscious decision-making and choosing happiness. She explores the potential of AI in the insurance industry, noting that it will augment human roles and create more time for meaningful client interactions. Gill calls for greater diversity and retention efforts in the industry, emphasising the need for a positive culture and continuous development for younger professionals.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
Resources
About the Host
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and find out more: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sandralewin
Summary
In this conversation, Sandra interviews Amy Ing, an incubation underwriter for Beazley.
Amy shares her journey into the insurance industry, starting as a box assistant at Lloyds and eventually finding her passion for innovation.
They discuss the role of innovation in the insurance market and how it can drive change and create new opportunities.
During their talk, Amy also provides insights into breaking into innovation in the industry. Additionally, they touch on the challenges of balancing work and motherhood, debunking common myths about parenting, the importance of support networks, and the need to recognise and value different career paths and progression.
Takeaways
Resources
Related resources: Caroline Bedford and the EDII initiative here: Caroline Bedford and EDII
Thanks to Send for sponsoring this episode.
Send is an award-winning insurance software company. It’s flagship product is an AI-enabled Underwriting Workbench – a single platform from submission to bind, and beyond. The platform helps commercial and speciality insurers around the world drive greater efficiency, control and effectiveness. It has rich out-of-the-box functionality, workflow templates for over 40 lines of business, and proven deployments in multiple geographies.
About the Host
Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn to explore more insights and episodes: Sandra's LinkedIn
The podcast currently has 49 episodes available.