It's Passion, Fast Learning & Growth That Is Prime; Not Stability

In a changing employee profile in the insurance industry, Tata AIG General Insurance Co has been able to create a nimble and future-ready workforce. Subramainian Suryanarayanan, CHRO at the company, recounts the efforts behind this:

- Mohan

N. Mohan: Is the Indian insurance industry creating enough talent that can be shaped to become leaders? To what extent it has to depend on talent from outside the industry for leadership roles?

Subramanian Suryanarayanan: The Indian insurance industry is creating enough talent pool for the industry and for the country at large. Some of the newly appointed top brass of the banks are veterans of the insurance industry. Their appointments are a clear testament to the leadership development potential of the insurance industry.

There is no dearth of talent within and outside the industry. Hiring talent from diverse backgrounds not only helps to increase talent availability with exposure to diverse industries but also helps to bring in fresh perspectives and new learnings into the organization having repository of multi-industry best practices and learnings.

Apart from a deep understanding of the sector and the professional skills, which are the other skills that a typical employee in the industry require today?

‘Insurance is nothing but a ‘Promise’a promise that the insurance company makes to its customers; and it is the people - the employees of the organization who help an insurance company fulfill these promises; especially in some of the most difficult moments of their customers’ lives. It is therefore imperative that employees of an insurance company should have a deep sense of customer centricity and above all empathy. Besides this, we need our employees to be uncompromising on integrity and deal with our customers in a manner that is fair, transparent and ethical.