Insurers have been focusing on recruiting hundreds of new starters rather than the need to welcome back workers as the government’s furlough scheme has ended.
While the furlough scheme was a lifeline to businesses and employees in many industries across the country until it closed at the end of last month, its use among insurers was minimal.
And now they are in the process of filling vacancies throughout their organisations.
LV= and Legal & General told Health & Protection they did not furlough any employees and their headcounts have broadly remained the same as at the start of the pandemic.
The same was true of Aviva and Aegon who also said they have continued to hire during the pandemic.
Canada Life confirmed it did not furlough any employees and revealed it is actively recruiting to fill roles.
“We are currently recruiting for 129 roles across the business in areas such as customer services and marketing, while we’ve had 252 new joiners start with us this year. It would be fair to say it’s a buoyant recruitment market right now,” the insurer added.
Spike in vacancies
Likewise, Zurich did not furlough any of its UK workforce and is now on a hiring spree.
“In terms of broader recruitment, numbers have remained steady throughout the pandemic, and have since increased, largely due to our apprenticeship offering,” Michelle Ransome, talent acquisition manager for Zurich in the UK, told Health & Protection.
“This includes a fantastic range of opportunities around risk engineering and for engineer surveyors, while our IT and operations teams have also launched brand new programmes this year.
“We are currently seeing a spike in roles available within these departments as new teams are being built. Across the UK business, we’re busy trying to fill more than 220 vacancies.”
Turbocharged transformation
And while William Russell had to furlough one worker, that employee has returned to the office, according to the firm’s head of HR, Kim McClatchie.
However, McClatchie also revealed the firm has made five employees redundant in the UK and overseas over the last 18 months.
“That said, our headcount has remained consistent and we’re recruiting in our technology, marketing and business development departments,” she added.
“The pandemic also turbocharged our transformation from a regulation insurance provider to a more tech-enabled business.”