Vicky Carter, Chairman, Global Capital Solutions, International, for Guy Carpenter, joined the Voice of Insurance podcast to discuss the role of young professionals in the (re)insurance industry in Nurturing the Future of the Industry.
She talked about what the industry learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and ways the business is evolving back to more of a face-to-face model.
“It’s very easy to forget—we are a people business,” she said. “The value of face-to-face communication is so important.”
Vicky went on to talk about the advantages within the virtual world, including the enhanced ability to get in touch with people quickly. However, she notes that can have a down side as well, with constant accessibility sometimes getting in the way. Scheduled days in the office, though, can help organize the work day.
“It sets up structure,” she said of workers going back to their offices. “I think it’s quite important to bring structure to your day.”
With many employees accustomed to working at home, a hybrid system—where employees split time between the office and working remotely—is expected to become increasingly the norm.
“Flexible working will absolutely be a part of future life,” she added.
She also mentioned how the industry affects so many forces going on around the world. Rapidly evolving segments, such as insurtechs and Managing General Agents or MGAs, present many opportunities to build challenging and steadily evolving careers.
“Everything is geared toward the future. Everything that’s happening—as fast as the world is changing, this industry touches and is involved in,” she said. “You have to keep innovating, you have to keep adapting, you have to keep evolving. That to me is the key of a successful business.”