Insurance Bartender: IIAW Announces Strategic Partnership

INSURANCE BARTENDER

IIAW ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH WAHVE TO OFFER MEMBERS NEW STAFFING SOLUTION

“ In coming decades, many forces will shape our economy and our society, but in all likelihood, no single factor will have as pervasive an effect as the aging of our population.” – Ben Bernanke

When it comes to retirement, a significant cultural shift is well under way. More and more people are choosing to remain in the workforce beyond traditional retirement age. An entire demographic is reimagining retirement, and this change requires employers to simultaneously reshape their own notions about work, retirement and age in order to stay competitive.

A few fast facts:

• By 2024, one in four workers in the United States will be 55 or older. By comparison, in 1994, workers over the age of 55 accounted for about one in 10 workers. (US Department of Labor)

• In 1996, less than 46 percent of people age 60 to 64 were working. In 2016, that percentage grew to 56 percent. In 2026, it’s expected to reach almost 60 percent. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

• 85 percent of today’s baby boomers plan to continue to work into their 70s and even 80s. (Special Committee on Aging)

These facts and several other factors combined with feedback from our members and improvements in technology helped motivate the team at the IIAW to investigate staffing solutions to help our members. Technology such as Skype, VPN or remote access to agency servers and more is allowing agencies to seamlessly hire experienced remote or work from home employees. Not to mention it fits a need so many agencies are desperate to fill-qualified workers.

As a result, we have strategically partnered with Work At Home Vintage Experts or WAHVE. Like the IIAW, they believe in the power and performance of experienced workers. They make it easy for agencies to hire work-at-home vintage professionals who are matched to the specific needs of your business. But if you’re like many employers, you might still be

wondering how hiring an older work-at-home employee can benefit you:

1. Retain valuable knowledge – This may be the most obvious benefit of hiring an older worker, whether they work remotely or not. Retiring workers have a career’s worth of institutional knowledge at their fingertips that can’t be easily, quickly or inexpensively replaced. In addition to having the knowledge and skills required to perform the job itself, they have years of experiences that have taught them how to navigate difficult situations, solve problems on their own and effectively manage relationships with colleague and clients.

2. Fill the talent gap – As we discussed in Can Remote Work Fill the Talent Shortage, there are more than 7 million job openings in the United States, and not enough employees to fill them. Employers often can’t find the qualified workers that they need. To fill this gap, it’s inevitable that employers will need to consider hiring older remote workers. Employers benefit from their vast knowledge, while employees benefit from being able to stay employed and enjoy the work-life balance they desire.

3. Boost work ethic – According to an article in Deloitte Insights, research shows that older workers are more likely to demonstrate positive “organizational citizenship.” This means they are more likely to work hard, show up on time, help coworkers, and go the extra mile when needed.

4. Innovate – Innovation is an attribute usually reserved for younger workers, but research suggests that older workers can be just as creative and innovative as younger peers if given the chance. Additionally, creating a generationally diverse workforce can also spur innovation, as discussed in Why Generational Diversity Is the Ultimate Competitive Advantage.

Many agencies across the country have turned to WAHVE to help with their staffing needs.

The problem: lack of local qualified workers. For Miller’s Insurance Agency, Inc.’s Fran Shaw, WAHVE delivered not just superior service, but a valued team member and participant.

Change comes reluctantly for some people. Fran Shaw, CEO and president of Miller’s Insurance Agency, Inc. in Downingtown, Pa., admits to being “critical and cynical” when it came to hiring a remote worker. A career insurance professional, Fran was used to the traditional agency model – employees occupying office space and being physically present during meetings. So, when it came time to hire, Fran wasn’t convinced that a remote worker would fit. “I kept wondering how I was going to gauge this [the worker’s efficiency and effectiveness].”

The solution: Now Fran is one of the strongest supporters of the WAHVE experience. “It’s opened up the talent pool,” she said. “It’s not just about being in this county and being close enough to commute to work. That doesn’t matter at all.”

Remote, yet closely involved.

Her wahve was located in the Carolinas and never met anyone in the office, Fran explained. Yet to Fran and her team of approximately 45 employees and part- time staff, the wahve was “part of the family. She was on conference calls and on Skype.”

The payoff was almost immediate, too. Fran said the wahve worker, who handles commercial lines business for the agency, has made suggestions that have saved the company time and money. Because of her depth of experience, the wahve has helped Fran’s group improve several procedures that streamlined work processes and brought more efficiency to the office. Plus, she’s discovered a few misfiled renewals, saving the agency time and improving the services to the customer.

Because her wahve handled commercial renewals, Fran didn’t have to give her a to- do list. Supervising the worker hasn’t been an issue. Fran credits that to WAHVE’s core business model. Unlike traditional employee arrangements, for a wahve worker “The motivation is different. They’re choosing to do this. They could choose to be fully retired, but they still want to help the industry.”

That level of dedication is exactly what won Fran over to the WAHVE experience. As someone who was hesitant to try working with a remote employee, she’s now a convert. She expected surprises, but the biggest surprise was that there wasn’t one. “To be quite honest, I was extremely critical and cynical about the process. I kept thinking ‘Can this work?’ And you know what? Yes it can. It has only benefited us.”

Its not just a benefit to larger agencies. WAHVE can help many smaller agencies in rural Wisconsin, where it can be difficult to find and attract qualified talent. The best part, WAHVE is easy to setup and work with. I highly recommend turning to WAHVE for your project based or long-term staffing needs.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at Matt@iiaw.com or visit our website at www.IIAW.com/WAHVE

> Matt Banaszynski CEO of IIAW

Matt’s Mixology

LOVE POTION #9 MARTINI

Ingredients

• 1 cup pomegranate juice

• 3 ounces strawberry vodka (I love Strawberry Basil Vodka from Pearl)

• 3 ounces Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur

• 2 small chunks dry ice (optional)

• 2 strawberries cut into hearts for garnish (optional)

Steps to Make It

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the pomegranate juice, vodka, and Chambord. Shake to combine.

2. Place 1 chunk dry ice into the bottom of each glass.

3. Pour the martini over the a very small piece of dry ice.

4. Garnish with skewered strawberry hearts if desired. Pretty cute :)

5. Wait 5-10 minutes for the dry ice to dissolve (and enjoy the fun show!) before drinking.