By Leah Ohodnicki, Head of Specialty Programs
For me, as a permanent remote-working employee, the line between work and home has always been blurred. The past 18 months have blurred this line even more. Here are some insights I’ve gleaned over this time.
New routines
I try to start my weeks “fresh” by meeting with my direct reports every Monday morning. The first ten minutes of our calls are strictly social, catching up on the weekend and exciting plans for the week. With a team that’s always been virtual, we’ve found this time to connect with one another personally is key to building relationships and a sense of belonging. In the past, these calls were just conference calls. Transitioning to video calls has been a huge benefit for our team.
Broker relationships deepened
Last year ended up being pivotal in terms of relationship development because, believe it or not, we got more “face time” with our clients. Without all the travel, busy leaders were at their desks and more willing than ever to take a call. Before the pandemic, we aimed to connect with focus producers once a quarter for formal catch-ups. Now, I’m connecting with my key relationships weekly in some cases and monthly for most.