Why Topa Made the Leap to Permanent Remote Work

Like most insurance businesses, Topa Insurance Co. (TIC) shifted to a remote workforce out of necessity in March 2020. With continued success in this new work environment, TIC quickly decided to make the remote workforce move a permanent one.

Since the shift, TIC’s talent pool has expanded, the company reduced office overhead and its carbon footprint, and employees say they have a better work-life balance. This transition has been beneficial to TIC’s company culture, partner relationships, and overall business strategy. While TIC management initially anticipated this to be a temporary solution, the team quickly acclimated and appreciated the many benefits of working from home.

When company leaders surveyed the team on their remote work experience, they found that more than 85% of the team were comfortable, able and/or preferred to work from home. Based on employee feedback, the desire to increase safety, flexibility and talent pool, and decrease physical footprint, the firm made the decision to extend the work from home policy permanently.

Since moving to a remote work environment, TIC realized several benefits:

Talent. Without the necessary commute to a physical office, TIC’s talent pool expanded. It now recruits talent from across the country and current employees have the flexibility to move to other cities and states. In 2020, all employees worked in Calabasas, California. With the increased flexibility, TIC now has employees in more than 14 states.

Environment. TIC reduced its office overhead and carbon footprint. Employees enjoy greater flexibility within their day as they no longer commute in Southern California traffic. For some employees that means saving 12,000 miles a year (at the current rate of gas, and for a standard 30 MPG, employees could be saving $2,400 a year).

Work-Life Balance. During breaks and lunch, employees enjoy their neighborhood or backyard, spend time with family, take their pet for a walk, and squeeze in housework or a workout. Employees say this has contributed to a better work-life balance.

Customers. By eliminating obstacles such as conference room size, travel time and unpredictable traffic, TIC underwriters and their assistants have the flexibility to meet with more of their brokers, more frequently face to face over Zoom. This has created stronger connections while allowing TIC underwriters to remain safe and use their time more efficiently.

TIC has not only maintained its strong culture, diversity and engagement, those features have improved in the remote work environment. Strategies utilized include:

• Multiple communication touchpoints for teams: Email; chat; events; phone meetings.
• Host company-wide events and opportunities for employees to share their stories. These can include: Contests where employees share photos, costumes; experiences or participate in creative projects including a cookie decorating contest; personal features in the company-wide newsletter; Coffee Chats, small informal events where employees are invited to a Zoom meeting with colleagues and a senior executive to chat about work and life; Colleague Connection, a monthly event where employees can join and talk with someone from a different department or team one on one; and games and activities including Pictionary, poker and trivia.
• Create a seamless onboarding process for new hires.
• Utilize human resources management software for completely virtual and paperless onboarding.
• Provide a company introductory video.
• Send equipment directly to new hires with instructions from IT and a company branded item for their home office.
• Host an onboarding session the morning of their first day.
• Conduct 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins to answer any questions and solicit feedback.
• Celebrate successes and recognize others.
• Flexibility to try new systems, practices, and methodologies, and shift as needed.
• With creativity, replicate annual events and traditions that were previously held in person.

After two years, the TIC team continues to enjoy working from home. Company culture and leadership are driving forces behind productivity and engagement in this remote work environment.