Happy Wednesday - we can't believe it is almost November already! This week on our Big I Buzz we are going over a few important dates that you should know, the newest update to Gov. Evers' public gathering restrictions and the 2020 Agency Universe Study. 

Important Dates You Should Know: 

First, Our Online Community launches next Monday, November 2nd! You can connect, collaborate and engage with other industry professionals on this curated platform exclusively available for our members. Our Thought Leaders (previously known as Committee Members) have already been enjoying our Online Community, and we can't wait to open up this new platform for all members next week! Stay on the lookout for an email from IIAW as we send out directions on how to sign up. 

Next, we want to remind everyone that the deadline for the second round of We're All In Small Business Grants is November 2nd. Grants are available to all eligible Wisconsin small businesses. Priority will be given to businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, such as restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services. Learn more about eligibility and how to apply for the second round of We're All In Grants here: https://bit.ly/3jecX62

Finally, another thing to remember for November 2nd - it's the final Big 'I' Wisconsin CE Day! Boost your insurance knowledge and earn up to eight (8) P&C continuing education credits online in just one day. Big 'I' Wisconsin CE Day is being offered by the Independent Insurance Agents of Wisconsin in partnership with the Big 'I' Virtual University (VU). Register for as many or as few classes as you like, and save 25% compliments of the IIAW! Just enter promo code BIGIWICEDAY.  

Appeals Court Puts Hold on Wisconsin Governor's Public-Gathering Restrictions 

Another update has come to the recent public gathering limitations set by Gov. Tony Evers as on October 23rd, a Wisconsin appeals court put a hold on Gov. Tony Evers' restrictions on public gatherings pending appeal. The Tavern League of Wisconsin had challenged Evers' Oct. 6th order. A Sawyer County judge on Oct. 14th blocked the health order, but a Barron County judge reinstated it five days later. 

2020 Agency Universe Study

In the current environment with the issues we are all facing, your input is more important than ever. We are asking all of our members to complete this 2020 Agency Universe Survey, which is the most comprehensive and important survey of independent agents in the United States. This survey should take about 20 minutes and it is completely confidential. The IIABA is rewarding participation - once completed, you will be entered in their drawing for participation prizes totaling $3,500, including a $1,000 grand prize, two $500 second prizes, four $250 third prizes and five $100 prizes.IIABA will be sending a summary of the results to the agents who complete the survey and the results will also be published in the IA Magazine and many other industry publications. Again, your responses are completely confidential. Take the 2020 Agency Universe Survey here.

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter    Big I Buzz.     If you aren't subscribed, click  here  to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

On this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing our upcoming Agency Leadership Webinar, the second round of We're All In Small Business Grants and how COVID-19 is impacting U.S. homeowners.

Agency Leadership Webinar Series: State and Federal Election Preview

Join us tomorrow at 10 a.m. as IIAW Government Affairs, Misha Lee and IIABA's Charles Symington give us a preview of the state and federal election. You'll get a peek at some of the election predictions and how those may affect the industry. 

We're All In Small Business Grant

Applications are now open through November 2 for the second round of We're All In Small Business Grants. The grants are available to all eligible small businesses, including those who have previously received the first round of We're All In Grants from WEDC. Priority will be given to businesses hardest hit by the pandemic, such as restaurants and taverns, hair and nail salons and barber shops, and other services. 

Eligibility requirements: 

• be a Wisconsin-based, for-profit business; 

• in 2019, have had 75% or more of company labor costs in Wisconsin and 75% of their assets in Wisconsin; 

• earn more than $0 and less than $1 million in annual revenue (gross sales and receipts); 

• have started operating prior to Jan. 1, 2020 (seasonal businesses should use the highest total FTEs employed during the season); and 

• have filed their 2019 taxes.

To apply, visit revenue.wi.gov. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 2. 

New Study Reveals COVID-19 Impact on U.S. Homeowners

A new study from Hippo Insurance and SimpliSafe has found that most Americans (78%) feel a deep lack of security concerning their current situation while over a third (39%) are far more insecure about their financial situation than they were at the beginning of the year. 

According to NU Property Casualty 360, "More than half of homeowners in the U.S. (55%) say the importance of protecting their financial value of their home is more pressing today than when they first bought their house. The study also revealed two in five American homeowners (42%) indicate that they will spend more time at home compared to last year, even when economies reopen following the pandemic. With all this time spent at home, it makes sense that 57% of homeowners prioritized home improvement during the first three months of COVID-19 crisis and continue to place an emphasis on making their homes a place where they want to stay."

For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter   Big I Buzz.   If you aren't subscribed, click    here     to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

 

By: Mallory Cornell | IIAW Vice President and Director of Risk Management

This article was originally featured in our October 2020 Wisconsin Independent Agent. You can read the full October 2020 magazine, which focused on our Exclusive Supporting Company Members here. 

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” - Henry Ford

By now, we hope that you recognize this quote from Henry Ford as it has become somewhat of a compass for us here at the IIAW. On March 12th, the IIAW launched its COVID-19 website and vowed to bring together our community and offer support, encouragement, and direction in any way that we could. Likewise, we saw our members step up in ways they never have before. Yes, there was a continued focus on customers, but also a new sense of urgency and attention for communities and employees.

As we continue our focus on “staying together”, the IIAW will be launching an Online Community to help facilitate networking, connecting, and supporting one another. And your participation will not go unnoticed. The IIAW wants to support your local communities through donations to area restaurants and non-profit organizations and will regularly be recognizing our conversation starters, thought leaders and reputable users in the Online Community.

We couldn’t have done this without direction and support from our Exclusive Company Members, featured in this month’s publication. The amount of kindness and compassion that has spread across the state and the nation is beyond belief. Here are just a few ways that our Exclusive Company Members have had an impact on their communities in the past six months:

AAA: This company has done a great job of continuing to raise awareness of safe driving and is doing so by giving back to the community. The company joined forces with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for the MSG2TEENS Driving Safety Video contest. In addition to this campaign, AAA donated over $100,000 in grants to assist public health, safety and law enforcement partners addressing the issue of marijuana impaired driving.

Acuity: Acuity is well-known for its community programs which have not skipped a beat during the last few months. The organization announced a $450,000 donation to the UW-Whitewater Cyber Defense Program to support the university’s commitment to providing education and awareness of cyber attacks. Acuity also recognized independent agents who were going above and beyond in serving their communities through their Acuity Agents Have Heart campaign.

Burns & Wilcox: The giving spirit runs deep throughout Burns & Wilcox and their efforts did not slow down during the pandemic. The company continued to support employees and their communities by dedicating the month of May as a month of giving. In addition, Burns & Wilcox donated $63,840 to benefit hunger-relief organizations including Feeding America and Forgotten Harvest.

IMT Insurance: With the headquarters in Iowa, the team at IMT acted when it came to storm clean up needs after Derecho devastated many areas of the state. The company also supported the American Cancer Society with sponsorships on multiple projects and supported local community projects by partnering with independent insurance agents during their 2020 Community Contest.

Integrity Insurance: The team at Integrity gave back in a big way and the employees were an important part of their efforts. Through support of local community blood drives and filling backpacks for kids going to back to school, the team did not disappoint. In addition to these local events, the Grange Enterprise Gives campaign raised $490,160 to support the communities of their employees.

Liberty Mutual/Safeco: The team at Liberty Mutual took a strong stand in support of systemic racism and we applaud their efforts. The company donated $1,000,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative and matched employee donations to similar organizations. In a time of need, the Safeco team mobilized and headed West to set up Mobile Response Vehicle support centers for individuals impacted by the destructive wildfires in places like California, Oregon and Washington.

Penn National: The United Way does amazing things for local communities and Penn National showed their support this year by donating $50,000 towards COVID relief efforts. In addition to their financial support, the company donated 19,000 face masks to a Pennsylvania hospital to show support for the tireless work of healthcare professionals.

Progressive: Progressive is no stranger to giving back to communities, but this year it is the Big “I” that is extending a huge thank you. The company donated $2,000,000 to establish the Trusted Choice COVID-19 Relief Fund. The fund allowed independent insurance agencies to apply for grants through the national Big “I” and provided financial relief for many agencies during a time of uncertainty.

SECURA: This company has put in the time, effort and hard work to help their community and was recognized for their efforts. SECURA was named one of the Top 10 Generous Workplaces by the United Way of the Fox Cities. Whether they are partnering with local independent agents to provide financial support for community programs or holding their first annual plant sale in the parking lot, this team is giving back!

SFM: The SFM Work Comp Experts are dedicated to their communities and to helping provide future opportunities for young people looking to further their education. This year, the SFM Foundation awarded 14 post-secondary scholarships totaling $250,000. When the future can seem daunting, we thank you for making it a little brighter for these students!

Society Insurance: During these times, many families struggled to put food on the table due to the economic impact of the pandemic. That is where Society stepped up in a big way. The company provided financial support to the Coronavirus Rapid Response Fund at Feeding America of Eastern Wisconsin. They also partnered with local independent agents to donate 375 meals to organizations helping people in need.

West Bend Mutual Insurance: The West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Trust provided grants to more than 20 nonprofit organizations to directly support COVID relief efforts in local communities. Two of these organizations were Feeding America and the Red Cross of Southeast Wisconsin who each received $50,000 to help with their relief efforts during these uncertain times.

This is truly remarkable…and only a piece of what you have done to support the people within your communities. During a time where there is so much negative media, the Facebook posts and Twitter feeds filled with stories of people supporting one another remind us how powerful we can be when we work together. Watch for an invitation to join the IIAW Online Community so that we can continue to support our communities, together. Keep up the great work!

On this week's Big I Buzz, we are discussing the new Emergency Order from Gov. Evers, frequently asked questions about the new order limiting mass gatherings to 25% and a reminder about our next Agency Leadership Webinar Series. 

Gov. Tony Evers' Administration Limits Capacity to Bars, Restaurants and Stores to 25% as Virus Surges

On Tuesday, October 6th, Gov. Tony Evers directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-Designee, Andrea Palm, to issue Emergency Order #3 limiting public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building's total occupancy. You can learn more about the full order and the list of exemptions here. The directive takes effect at 8 a.m. on October 8th, 2020 and will remain in effect until November 6th. This order applies to any gatherings at locations that are open to the public such as stores, restaurants and other businesses that allow public entry, as well as spaces with ticketed events, according to the Press Release. 

Receive alerts as soon as they come in with the IIAW Text Alerts. Text IIAW to 833-384-0094 to subscribe. 

 Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Order #3, Limiting Public Gatherings

In addition to their press release limiting mass gatherings to no more than 25% of a room or building's total occupancy, the Office of the Governor also released a FAQ page on the new order. Below are some questions from the FAQ: 

• What does the order prohibit? The order prohibits large groups of people from gathering in indoor spaces that are open to the public (unless an exception applies). The order prohibits groups larger than 25% of the indoor room's occupancy, as determined by the local municipality. A place is open to the public if it is accessible to the general public, such as stores, restaurants, bars or ticketed events. 

• Does the order apply to outdoor spaces or events? No, the order only applies to indoor spaces. The order does not apply to outdoor areas, such as park shelters, outdoor dining areas or playgrounds. 

• Does the order apply to weddings?The order applies to indoor, non-religious weddings or receptions that are open to the public. The order does not apply to private wedding ceremonies or receptions, religious wedding ceremonies or outdoor weddings or receptions. 

• Who is exempted from the order?

- Child care settings, before and after school programs, virtual learning support programs and other child welfare locations listed in the order

- 4K-12 schools

- Colleges and universities

- Health care and public health operations

- Human services operations, such as long-term care and assisted living facilities

- Public infrastructure operations, such as food processing and production facilities, airports, construction projects and public transportation

- State and local government operations and facilities

- Religious events, political events, demonstrations and other events with protected First Amendment speech

- State facilities under the control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court on the Wisconsin Legislature

- Federal facilities under the control of the federal government. 

Read more of the FAQ here. 

Agency Leadership Webinar Series - State and Federal Election Preview 

Join us on October 22nd at 10 a.m. for our second installment of our Agency Leadership Webinar Series. We'll be discussing a preview of the state and federal election. Lee Government Relations is a Wisconsin-based, multi-client lobbying firm specializing in influencing public policy to directly to the needs of the Independent Agents of Wisconsin. Misha is one of Wisconsin's top-respected, connected and effective lobbyist. He has experience dealing with all faces of Wisconsin state government and can open doors to top leaders in the Wisconsin Legislature, Office of the Governor, and state agencies attached to the Executive Branch. Register for the State and Federal Election Preview Webinar here. 

 For more news, check out the Action News section of our weekly e-newsletter  Big I Buzz.   If you aren't subscribed, click   here   to add your email to our emailing list. We hope that everyone has a great rest of their week! 

By: Sharon Emek, Ph.D., CIC | Founder & CEO, Work at Home Vintage Experts (WAHVE)

This article was originally published in our September Wisconsin Independent Agent. Read more from our September issue here. 

 

In-house hiring practices don’t often translate to hiring employees that will work remotely. What modifications do you need to make your hiring process? 

By all accounts, the pandemic-related work-from-home business model is here to stay, at least for the time being. For the most part, many companies were able to transition quickly, albeit not without some significant challenges.

Yet now another significant challenge is looming: how to hire employees you may not meet in person, either during the course of the pandemic or for the duration of their employment with your company. 

For the insurance industry, that challenge is multiplied by a shortage of viable candidates. Veteran insurance professionals are retiring at an alarming rate. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that between 2016 and 2020, 400,000 insurance  

professionals will head off to retirement.

The situation is made more dire by the fact that millennials are showing little interest in insurance industry careers. According The Millennial Survey conducted by The Hartford, a mere 4% of millennials would consider an insurance industry career.

Yet the very pandemic that has challenged insurers to adopt remote work strategies may be somewhat of a saving grace in the quest to find remote workers. According to World Economic Forum data, 85% of millennials are seeking full-time remote work opportunities. What’s more, 82% expressed higher company 

loyalty to those companies with remote work programs. 

In fact, remote work is appealing across a wider age demographic than just millennials; a recent Zapier-commissioned Harris Poll reveals that 95% of all knowledge workers (those working in a professional setting and using a computer as part of the job) want to work remotely. That means companies that were forced to shift to a remote work arrangement are now facing the very real challenge of trying to build a remote hiring process. 

No matter how big or small your agency is, remote hiring takes planning. But if executed properly, your hiring process could do more than just help you hire good talent – it can elevate the 

number of candidates to choose from, and deliver candidates that have the exact skills needed.

But First, Soft Skills

Yet your new hires need a few more traits than a standard in-house hire. Because remote work can be isolating, employees need the right set of traits to be able to perform effectively and productively.

Before you hire, make sure to understand common soft skills that make for a successful remote worker. Your next remote employee should to be able to work with minimal supervision. Ideally, your remote worker should be able to manage time effectively so that daily tasks as well as projects are completed on time. 

To do that, your employee should demonstrate the ability to solve common issues as well as some of the more complex challenges that they may face. And your employee should be comfortable with remote communication tools and methods.

Interviewing from a Distance

Any organization that has worked remotely recently knows the need for video conferencing. That same technology is what’s needed to conduct remote interviews. While phone interviews can work for initial screening, they fail to pick up on physical cues, such as body language and facial expressions. Plus, video conferencing is a way to vet those candidates on their comfort level with technology your company uses.

That comfort with technology should extend to all technology your company employs. How familiar is the candidate with those tools? Have they shown proficiency in related technologies? In some cases, technology can be similar, so that the learning curve for your particular application would not be prohibitive. 

What could be problematic is your candidate’s ability to maintain connectivity with your team. Spotty internet may not be a deal-breaker unless your team needs to be able to connect quickly during office hours. By conducting a distance interview, you can assess the quality of the connection.

You can assess also how conducive the candidate’s available workspace is to the tasks at hand. For instance, if you’re hiring a salesperson, having a noisy location or too many people in the residence could hinder the salesperson’s ability to connect with prospects. Your ideal candidate should have a distraction-free location, or a plan for keeping it quiet and distraction-free during work hours.

 

That last point can be difficult to navigate. As many families are home with young children and daycares are closed, your ideal candidate may have temporary distractions. If that’s the case, shift the questioning a bit: Would your candidate be able to put in hours after children are in bed or napping? Would a more flexible work schedule help them complete the work necessary?  

Identifying the Self-Starters

Another question to consider: How much training will your new hire need? Every organization has a unique set of processes, and new employees need to learn them. However, in a remote 

position, that means your new hire needs to be able to train on their own with minimal supervision. 

To ensure they can, find out how they best learn: in-class instruction or independent, self-paced learning? Have they completed any self-guided learning before? What were the results? How easily can they get used to new systems or technology? What challenges them most about technology?

 

That matters because in remote work, technology is key to getting the job done. And by asking these questions at the outset, you can set expectations for your candidates so that they know what is expected of them.

Hired: Now What?

That’s important too after the candidate is hired. We recommend using the hiring process to outline both your expectations and how you will measure their performance.

One suggestions we ask you to consider is dropping an hourly expectation and replacing it with a per-outcome expectation. As mentioned previously, not all candidates can do their best work during traditional nine-to-five hours. By measuring your new hires, as well as all your employees, by benchmarks met and project outcomes, you will get a true measure of their productivity. 

Moreover, such a move boosts employee morale and motivation. In an environment in which employers and employees alike are trying to carve out the best way to conduct business, adopting a more flexible employee management style makes the most sense, and helps workers succeed in a remote setting.

Hired, Retained 

That success results in higher employee satisfaction, which translates into better employee retention. In a global workforce environment that is adapting to what could be permanent

changes to business, your business has a great opportunity to grow and to thrive. A strong remote hiring process, complete with vetting for soft skills, setting expectations, and outlining new 

management strategies can help your organization gain an advantage of those organizations that are still trying to do everything through the traditional business lens.

By setting your remote business on the right path at hiring time, your organization can adapt quickly to whatever changes may come in the future. That flexibility can keep your entire 

organization moving into a stronger, more resilient future.