The broking industry should promote its rare ability to offer varied role rotations, which is “a real advantage” over other employment sectors, Aon says.

The move could solve some problems attracting graduate talent, for example by offering six-month spells in cyber, general insurance, global corporate, reinsurance, data analytics and others, according to Queensland state director Lynette Walsh. 

“There are so many different pathways and things that you can actually do in an insurance broking firm,” Ms Walsh said as part of an expert panel discussing attraction and retention of talent at the NIBA Convention. 

“Who wouldn’t get excited about that? Having a choice of the area I would like to go into. It’s quite an exciting opportunity that you don’t get in nearly any other industry.” 

Ms Walsh said she has “gone sideways” at times in her career to experience different parts of the business.   

“Bringing this into the DNA of how we recruit ... might actually change some of our challenges in people. Imagine, in four years’ time, if you’ve got someone that has worked across so many different areas – it’s really exciting to think about the opportunities they can bring and different perspectives.” 

Aon has introduced behavioural and psychometrics data to speed its hiring processes.  

After one round of interviews, it makes use of data and tools such as Ploomo recruitment technology. 

“We [have] some data to back up the behavioural and psychometrics of the individual and align that with what we we’re getting from the interview ... because the person I’ve interviewed and the person that actually shows up on day one can be completely different people,” she said. 

“I’ve had some great successes in hiring; I’ve also had absolutely dismal failures. There are some people that are absolutely great at BS in an interview.” 

Ms Walsh says Aon examined its recruiting processes after finding that “just as we thought we had roles locked in, we would have another wave of people moving on, and we were back to the drawing board. It’s not sustainable.” 

Younger employees are “very value-based” and want to work in a business and an industry they feel makes a difference. 

Bringing Gen Z into charitable or volunteering projects will help make them feel they “have a voice” and are part of a change, and “not just being told what to do”, Ms Walsh says. 

She also recommends career paths and development opportunities outside of leadership, recognising that being the best broker and having the characteristics needed to manage people are “not always the same quality”. 

“Making sure that someone has a pathway to advance their career that is staying in broking and clients, that doesn’t involve people leadership, is actually really important,” she said.  

See the session here.