Be willing to change because life will never stay the same. This has always been true as we maneuver our way through life’s changes, technological advances, and societal evolutions. It has never been more evident for most of us than in the last three months. Much has changed in all of our lives, from how we work to how we purchase to how we interact socially. While most of us long for the return to “normal,” what we consider to be normal is unlikely to be exactly the same as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the world of insurance, we quickly adapted to a remote business model almost overnight. We surprised ourselves at how innovative and nimble we could be to address the challenge. Survival is a powerful motivator for accepting change and finding the ability to thrive. Although social isolation and donning masks are not the future we may want, some lessons and advancements we have made during this trying time should not be abandoned in a rush to get back to “normal.” Taking note of these positive trends that may make our lives and our businesses better going forward should be noted, preserved, and even promoted in the evolution of what we consider normal.
The Reality of Working from Home
Working from home has historically had perceived challenges. Some people were just not interested in working from their home, and some companies did not think it fit into the culture they had built and wanted to preserve. There were always fears of distractions, lack of productivity, security concerns, the need for close management oversight, and the desire to utilize the remodeled spaces that were financed to create an environment of collaboration for workers.
All of these concerns were quickly abandoned in the last few months, making employers and employees jump into the deep end of the pool and learn to swim. For the most part, we found we were buoyant. The future may hold the opportunity to have a more effective remote workforce. The benefits of this are that employees can strike a better work-life balance, expenses may be saved in the overhead of large corporate headquarters, and the access to talent will not be constrained by geography. All of these are powerful opportunities if we keep the mindset that a new way of working is not necessarily bad, but an opportunity to evolve.
Collaborating Remotely
Collaboration has been enabled by video conferencing technologies that offer content-sharing and whiteboarding capabilities. The interactions that used to take place in a conference room are now happening among employees on a daily basis from their homes. These video conferencing capabilities have spilled over into our personal lives, allowing us to stay in touch, play games, and have a virtual cocktail or dinner with family and friends that are a mile away or halfway around the world. This has become so commonplace that it begs the question, why didn’t we do this before?
The CIO and the IT groups have had their moment in the sun, and their alignment with the business was spot on. Carriers’ quick reaction to roll out video capabilities to their agents and employees to keep the business running was impressive. There was no time, and frankly no choice, to ask why this should not be done. There was a clear focus on making it work. That focus and innovation fueled additional transformative digital quick wins that carriers moved forward without red tape or a focus on perfection.
What they found was they had the ability to work hand in hand with business partners to swiftly make changes happen that enabled the business to run smoothly and addressed the needs of their customers and agents. This alignment and partnership across IT and business units is a positive that needs to be preserved.
What normal will mean to us in six months or six years is unknown. As an optimist, I hope the hazmat suits, masks, and isolation will disappear over time. I also envision a more remote work style for those that desire it and collaboration that is fostered by technology. What will be most beneficial is retaining the renewed alignment and shared purpose across IT and the business to drive business success and serve the customer.
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