December
2020
VM IN 2020 - RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT AT WORK
E D ITO R S ’ MESSAGE
Clover & Dayton
Thank you, Team VM! We’re happy to be saying goodbye to 2020. While we met the challenges it brought as a unified and empowered Team, it was a year that really tested our resilience. We’ve all had to adapt to changes and restrictions. Some of us have, unfortunately, had to deal with disappointments and personal tragedy. This issue is a reminder that through it all, we’ve continued to forge ahead and to thrive. In spite of it all, perhaps because of it, we have seen the best of ourselves and we continue to do, be and achieve great things. Thank you, Team VM for all you did in 2020 to demonstrate resilience and for never letting go of your commitment to the people we serve. You have shown why VM is the great organisation it is and have proven that the best is still to come. Stay tuned, exciting times lie ahead! As usual, if you have any feedback, questions or concerns, let us know at: VMCorporateAffairs@myvmgroup.com
CONTENTS
Pages 4 VM in 2020 Resilience and Commitment at work
Pages 6 Photo Montages
Pages 15 ACH: Coming to a Modern Mutual near you!
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VM IN 2020 RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT AT WORK
While this year will be recorded as one of the most challenging in history, it will also be recorded as the year Victoria Mutual rose to meet the challenge. Our existing work-fromhome policy, implemented in 2018, made dealing with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic a bit easier as we pivoted to respond as a Group.
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Like all challenges, the pandemic also brought opportunities. We seized the moment, leveraging technology to dive into the virtual arena with two hybrid AGMs, live-streamed Home and Auto Expos and a virtual town hall series to keep the team informed and heard. We even blew off some steam with an online office party that was innovative, fun and comforting in its familiarity.
Observer highlighting the steps taken keep Team Members informed and empowered despite prevailing conditions. In it, Dr Dayton Robinson AVP, Group HR was quoted:
Our efforts were noticed, leading to a recent article in the Jamaica
The unstoppable VM Team was celebrated at July’s socially-distanced
‘I Am VM Awards’. While the ceremony paid homage to performances dating back to 2019, it was a timely and inspirational reminder of who we are as a team and what we can accomplish. November was memorable, as VM marked its 142nd Anniversary. Members’ Month contained a roster of activities that included a virtual church service, several donations by the VM Team and the renaming of the first VM branch on Duke Street. The iconic building is now the Douglas Cover Building, after a naming ceremony and birthday cake cutting for the
former GM for whom the building is named. After the recent introduction of a disruptive mortgage experience making home buying even easier and more convenient for our Members, we continue to maintain our forwardfocus. Last month’s launch of a bold 3-year strategy represents the next phase in the evolution of the VM Group of companies. And as we look ahead, the beacon that is the vision for Victoria Mutual, employer of choice and maker of happy homeowners, will be our guiding star and our light at the end of the tunnel.
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Celebrating the VM Super Team #EmployerOf Choice
So much happened in 2020. Pandemic or not, the VM Team was busy transforming lives. We picked a few standout moments and will share them across the next few pages. This is just a sample of all we did this year. What were your favourite moments of 2020? Head to Yammer where this edition of VM Buzz is posted and let us know!
I AM VM AWARDS 2019 PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE AWARD
2019 LEADERSHIP AWARDS
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2019 SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS
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2019 SALES AWARDS
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2019 INNOVATIONS AWARDS
Supporting our Community #ModelCorporateCitizen
VM ‘LABOUR FOR LEARNING’ INITIATIVE
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BLISS: The VM Virtual End-of-Year Party
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DIGITAL LEARNING INITIATIVE
HEAD START SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES
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Unstoppable VM #ModernMutual #FinancialEducationBecauseWeCare
VM’S FIRST HYBRID IN-PERSON & DIGITAL AGM
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HOME AND AUTO EXPO
VM 2021-2023 STRATEGY LAUNCH
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DIGITAL TOWNHALL
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Memorable Moments
DOUGLAS COVER BUILDING NAMING CEREMONY
A VISIT FROM JAMAICA’S CONSUL-GENERAL TO CANADA
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ACH: COMING TO A MODERN MUTUAL NEAR YOU!
Tarik Munroe
By the end of January 2021, the benefits of being a VM Member will get even better as we join the Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer network. This facility, usually the domain of commercial banks, will provide a more affordable alternative for local transfers. VM accepting ACH transfers also means Members will now be able to have salaries deposited directly into their VMBS accounts. The move is intended to be a key driver of the growth in our ‘Growth, Innovation & Resilience’ mantra as the VM Group embarks on the next 3 years of our strategic plan. It will present a significant opportunity to grow deposits, as salaries for staff from various corporations, particularly in the public sector, will now flow into employee accounts held at VM. It will also be a welcome change for Members, who have so far had to rely on less convenient means, like cheques, to send funds to their VMBS accounts. The ACH network was implemented in 2002 and is a collaborative effort between local entities and the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ). The platform will allow us to realize greater efficiencies as an organization and, as a result Members will see their accounts credited more quickly.
Processing and Operations Teams will avoid frustration sometimes associated with supporting manual processes and the remediation of associated errors. Shifting away from manual interactive processes will also make their jobs safer in the context of the pandemic. Team Members will now be empowered to have conversations with Members and prospective Members around their salaries coming to VMBS and making us the ‘home’ of their transactional accounts. This will, in turn, open the door to them benefiting from a host of other services within the Group. There is still much to achieve through Digital Transformation as VM continues along our Modern Mutual journey. And January promises to be a special month with a range of value-added digital changes happening across VM Group. These include VM Express video banking, a new realtor platform, online IPO applications and the migration from Skype for Business to Microsoft Teams Chat. As we enter a new phase of the strategic plan, the beacon that is our vision for the VM Group will continue to be the light at the end of the tunnel.
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