BRONZE Best Agency to Work For – R&R Insurance Agency

From leadership style, to growth in a sluggish economy, to profit sharing, to career opportunities, to doing the right thing for customers, and more, employees of R&R Insurance Services in Waukesha, Wisconsin, say there’s a lot to love about their place of employment.

And their enthusiasm for their employer helped R&R Insurance land a spot as one of Insurance Journal’s Best Agency to Work For in 2017.

As the Bronze Best Agency award winner for the Midwest region, R&R Insurance joins a small group of elite agencies across the nation whose employees nominated and ranked their employers well above the rest in IJ’s Best Agency to Work For poll for 2017.

With five locations, R&R Insurance has 185 employees and annual revenues between $26 million and $50 million.

That his employees nominated the agency for the award is “incredibly gratifying,” said Ken Riesch, owner and president of R&R Insurance. “I am humbled to know they value the agency and truly believe in our mission. Our goal as an agency is to develop and expand the careers of our employees — and it is my job to ensure our employees know the value they bring to our agency every day. R&R is a great place to work for so many reasons, but as an owner I truly believe in investing back into the agency. Whether it be people, resources, or technology, I am committed to doing what I can to help R&R grow and in turn growing our employees.”

Judging by employee responses to IJ’s survey, R&R’s staff gets it.

“R&R offers great opportunity for individual growth,” wrote one employee. “They also provide resources that other agencies cannot match. This enables me to concentrate on my primary job function, which is to bring new clients in the door. The agency’s profit-sharing plan is a benefit that increases talent retention. I cannot say enough positive things about R&R and I look forward to growing alongside the company for many more years.”

Another employee praised the company not only for reinvesting profits into the agency but for sharing its success with their community, as well. “Attending community events that are sponsored by R&R always makes me feel proud to be part of this organization. R&R doesn’t just take its profits and reinvest in itself (although it does this very well in the form of resources, technology and profit sharing). It invests in its community … From The Women and Girls Fund, to the United Way, to the Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation and countless other organizations … R&R takes its success and reputation, and uses it to reach out to the members of our community who need help, and gives them a push forward,” the employee wrote.

Staff members appreciate the outstanding, specialized service the agency provides to its clients, as well as the innovative strategies for improvement and providing employees with opportunities to develop.

For instance, one employee wrote, the “Employee Leadership Team is new within the last 5 years. This is a rotating committee, which gives up and coming individuals within the agency the opportunity to be engaged in project management, team building, and professional development.”

Another said the company does “a good job of making sure the really good employees are given the recognition and opportunities to advance and use their talents to make the agency successful.”

Reisch’s advice to agency owners looking to make their agency a Best Place to Work? “Your people are your greatest assets and your success is to be shared. Share your success with your employees, your customers, and your community. Don’t muddle in the little things and truly enjoy each and every day that you step into the office.”