Winning Attitude

This issue salutes the 2013 Best Independent Insurance Agencies to Work For.

They all say it’s an honor to be recognized. Given that employees are the ones doing the rating, it is a well-deserved honor.

They all say it makes them proud – owners and employers alike – as it should.

We say the honor is ours and it makes us proud, too, to get to know them. It is humbling to go through the many entries and realize what a great industry this is to work in. There are so many agencies out there that do the right thing for their employees.

It is humbling to speak with these owners and employees and learn how they got where they are, how they survived the downturn and soft market, and how they remain committed to their customers and to one another.

The best agencies to work for are not necessarily the biggest, or the ones that pay the highest salaries, offer the best benefits, or have the best public relations agencies. They could be or have those things, but those things have very little to do with being the best workplace.

Agencies are not great places to work because they have great products or services. They don’t necessarily have great customers. Their physical offices may be nondescript.

The best workplaces are about people and relationships. Happy employees have great relationships with their immediate boss or supervisor, and hold their agency owner or principals in high esteem.

The best workplaces foster good communication, so that everyone knows what is expected and where the agency is going.

The best agencies are about teamwork. They make sure that employees understand the agency’s game plan and that everyone’s contribution is important and rewarded.

The best agencies are about sharing; they are places where when the agency does well, everyone benefits.

The best workplaces care about community. Every single outstanding agency gives back in some way. It’s a big reason employees take pride in their place of employment.

Hundreds of customer service representatives, account executives, producers, managers and other agency staff nominated independent insurance agencies for this year’s survey. They really are all winners. This competition barely scratches the surface of the employment picture in this industry. For every winner profiled in this issue, there are probably hundreds of others in cities and towns across the country that could have won. Congratulations to the winners in this issue and to the many more winners out there who are doing the right thing for their employees.

Topics Agencies