While the majority (87%) of those in the insurance industry say remote working opportunities are imperative for their overall happiness at work, some employers have struggled to trust their employees to work autonomously with some even ramping up on surveillance to track exactly what their workforce is doing.
This may however be problematic for organisations across the industry looking to attract and retain talent as, according to a recent report from UK-based tech-for-good developer, Culture Shift, almost all (96%) of Britain’s insurance workforce say having an employer that trusts them is important for their overall happiness at work. A further 86% also admit autonomy is essential, while 85% say working at a company with a strong ethical background is key, signalling some employers may need to rethink their strategies as they plan for the future.
The same report also uncovered that 70% would like to remain working from home, 48% are dreading going back to the workplace and 54% worry they won’t be able to adjust to going back. That said, 28% have felt imposter syndrome (self-doubt) more so while working from home.
“If companies want to attract the best in the business, then they need to adapt and take note of what employees are really looking for in a workplace. The pandemic has resulted in more calls for flexible working, and different ways of approaching communication and collaboration. This has also led employees to reflect on what’s most important to them – and trust ranks higher than all other factors.“As businesses continue navigating the pandemic and conversations around the future of workplace culture take precedence, employees are hoping everything from flexibility to trust, autonomy, a competitive salary and strong ethics will be at the top of the agenda,” comments Gemma McCall, CEO, Culture Shift.
On the variables impacting employee happiness at work, the research found that:
● 95% of employees in insurance confirm good communication from their employer is important to them
● 96% say a competitive salary is integral
● 94% say flexibility is an important factor to their overall happiness at work
● 93% say work-life balance and the ability to plan work around family/childcare is important
● 83% say progression opportunities are key
● 80% confirm working at a company with a good CSR scheme is essential
● 69% say free perks, such as paid for breakfast, yoga classes and gym memberships are important
● 92% of employees say that working at a company with a good reputation for treating employees fairly is integral to their happiness at work
● 85% say working somewhere with a diverse workforce is important
● More than two-thirds (68%) would like to return to the workplace with flexitime, while 79% would like to do a mix of working from the workplace and home.
Culture Shiftexists to lead positive change in workplace culture, through building products that empower organisations to tackle harassment and bullying. Its proprietary online reporting platform ‘Report + Support’ gives businesses the insight they need to monitor and prevent bullying and harassment, and support anybody who experiences it, either in the office or remotely.
“These are the factors that are proving increasingly important and should be front of mind for those at the top if they want to not only attract, but retain the best talent for their organisations,” concludes Gemma.
To see more insights uncovered by the research or to download the full ‘Maintaining workplace culture in a rapidly changing environment’ report, visit info.culture-shift.co.uk/maintaining-workplace-culture.
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