6 minute read
INSURANCE
from ASSET Winter 2022
by ASSET
LEAD | INSURANCE
Shape up or ship out
Naomi Ballantyne encourages diversity and inclusion throughout the insurance industry.
BY NAOMI BALLANTYNE
2021 was another humdinger of a year. Nothing we could predict, and therefore nothing for which we could prepare.
But I’m sure my fellow industry executives had a similar experience to me, in that the people we serve - our customers, advisers and staff - seemed to have developed a heightened sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the business we’re in, and for the way we do it.
We are accustomed to customers thanking us from time to time, but in 2021 that thankfulness seemed to go into overdrive. Feedback from the vulnerable customers we have helped with claims or affordability issues was intensely thankful. This has humbled, inspired, and motivated my team like never before.
Advisers also seemed more willing to share praise and to offer a pat on the back compared with 2020, when there was a significant degree of anxiety and panic. And as for my staff, I have only one word: magnificent.
Business as usual not returning
While I desperately want this year to be more comfortable and more “business as usual”, I know that even if Covid-19 were gone tomorrow that would still not be the case.
We also know that we will make mistakes. We have areas needing improvement. We are grateful to advisers and customers for providing us with constructive feedback to help us improve our business. Many of our new initiatives, including the recently launched direct
client access to MUM, have happened because of this feedback.
But while there has been much thanks and constructive feedback, along with support, encouragement, and plain old kindness from the majority, there is also the continuation of an emerging experience: a kind of “hyperobjectionableness” from a few. It is similar to what we saw across the nation in 2020 and 2021, in response to the Government’s management of Covid-19.
When a small number of seemingly perpetually-angry people get frustrated or scared, they seem to take all of their pent-up emotions out on others. In my job, that “other” is often me. From interactions with other industry executives over the years, I know I am not alone in being on the receiving end of some considerable vitriol.
Feedback akin to abuse
This “feedback”, akin to abuse, has appeared across all aspects of our business, in regards to commission levels, systems, functions, premium increases, and even to our Covid-19 policy for the physical protection of our staff when working in our office. While extremely unpleasant for myself and my team, at least it is focused on the things we do and is something my team can generally handle with their usual good grace.
But then there are the people-related attacks. The “helpful suggestions’’ and/ or “demands” about how we must “fix” our business by effectively discriminating against specific groups of people that the complainant considers to be undesirable.
That’s right: there are a handful of people out there who want to deal with only a certain kind of person, and/or who think we should ban specific sectors of society from being provided insurance coverage - or in some way make it uncomfortable for them.
Over time, as insurers have changed the parts of our businesses that might previously have created significant barriers to some members of our society, we have become targets for those who vehemently do not want us to do so.
An enlightened world
We live in a much more enlightened world than has ever existed before. We understand so much more about how our reactions as a society, to the differences between people, can cause serious alienation and physical, emotional, social and financial hardship. We understand more now about how the simple randomness of where we are born can lead to considerable inequity.
Globally and locally, the words ‘diversity’, ‘inclusion’ and ‘vulnerability’ are now a standard part of the lifeinsurance dictionary. They are words that our regulators are focusing on. They are also words that all employers are obligated to include in their employment practices.
But more than that, they are words humans should have always embraced.
So, when anyone in our office is on the receiving end of communications such as the following, it’s a pretty bad day: • Demands to deal only with a staff member with an English-sounding surname
• Complaints about a staff member’s
“foreign” accent • Attacks against our support of the rainbow tick
• Assertions that using the word
“gender” is pandering to “ridiculous” people, because “there are only two sexes”
Representing a multitude
Partners Life’s people – our customers, advisers and staff - are spread across all demographics. Our people are as diverse as the entire New Zealand population. Collectively, we represent a multitude of ethnicities, spiritual beliefs, sexual preferences, genders, abilities/ disabilities, ages, relationship statuses, and socio-economic circumstances. We are a company of, and for, New Zealanders.
Into the future, we will continue to evolve ourselves and our business to reflect our increasing understanding of how all of the following impact on our customers:
• Use of language • Our underwriting questions • Our design of products • Our underwriting decisions • Our service delivery, and • Our claims decisions.
We will also push back furiously on any uncalled-for discriminatory opinions headed our way, to lessen the likelihood of any of our staff being victimised or made to feel vulnerable. I encourage our colleagues in the insurance industry to increase their boldness alongside of us in the year ahead.
Removing barriers
By removing access barriers to minority groups, we are not introducing any new barriers to the groups of New Zealanders for whom access to protection products has always been easily available.
By embracing New Zealanders in all their glory, we do not harm the masses, but we do increase our opportunities to provide protection to more people, recruit even more amazing and diverse staff, and increase the attractiveness of our industry to a wide range of new advisers.
My team and I are proud of the steps Partners Life and our competitors have taken to increase our inclusiveness over the years, and we are excited about continuing this journey into the future. We believe showing kindness to others is in equal parts what we do as a business, and how we choose to do our business.
So, to the majority of advisers who have shown me, my team, and my fellow insurers so much love, kindness and support in 2021, thank you. Here’s to more mutual success (and the related celebrations) in 2022.
And to those who are crusading to stop us from welcoming people into our fold who are different to themselves, please stop. You are absolutely entitled to think whatever you want; and you are welcome to find another insurer to support you if you cannot accept Partners Life’s position on diversity and inclusion.
I am hopeful, however, that 2022 will be a year when the differences between people are increasingly understood and respected, and that acceptance will rule over bigotry. A
