Employees Enjoy Many Paths for Growth, Advancement at Brightway
The people at Brightway Insurance, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, near Jacksonville, seem to have taken employee satisfaction and performance to a whole new level.
Each employee is asked to make sure, before they leave the office each day, that they have made someone smile, laugh or feel valued.
“Our goal is to make over 3,000 positive impacts in 2024, and if we hit that target, the entire team and their spouses are going on a cruise in 2025,” explained Chris Huebener, equity partner at the 15-employee agency.
The incentives have paid off. Based on a survey of team members and their comments, Brightway has been named Insurance Journal’s 2024 Best Agencies to Work For Bronze award winner for the Southeast region.
“The company fosters a supportive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and empowered,” commented one employee on the IJ survey. “There is a strong emphasis on professional development, with opportunities for training, mentorship, and career advancement.”
With regard to the agency being nominated by its employees for the award, Huebener said: “I’m incredibly honored, especially since this recognition comes directly from the team. Our goal is to create an environment where no one ever wants to leave.”
It all starts before the team members are hired. Each applicant must go through a 21-step hiring process. The word is out, and each open position receives more than 300 applicants, allowing Brightway to maintain its team of top-notch producers and other employees.
The agency, founded in 2006 and one of many Brightway franchises in Florida, also has developed eight pathways for growth, “ensuring our team members are rewarded for high performance and never feel capped in their earning potential,” Huebener explained.
The group also helps employees develop “life plans” to focus on personal dreams and goals before they even discuss business with the leadership. The agency also created a position known as “executive of belonging,” whose role is to surprise the team with fun initiatives that foster a sense of belonging, Huebener said. And benefits packages have been improved every year.
The employee focus at Brightway may have something to do with its origins in the restaurant business, no less.
Agency owner Billy Wagner was a restaurant manager for several years but left for a career in insurance. Huebener also worked at the restaurant and when it closed down a few years later, he joined Wagner as business partner at Brightway.
That was almost two decades ago. The agency has grown steadily since then, not just through employee satisfaction, but also with an emphasis on meeting clients’ needs, Huebener explained. Most team members are trained for 120 days so that they become experts in educating, adding value and building trust with clients, he said.
“We validate this through monthly secret shopping of our own offices,” Huebener noted.
The good vibes have proven to be important in what has to be one of the most challenging times in the Florida property insurance market with relentless hurricanes, rate increases from carriers and shrinking capacity from some major insurers.
“Carrier capacity is a big challenge right now, but we’ve responded by strengthening our relationships with carriers,” Huebener noted. “We’ve been proactive, going on road shows to meet with them and asking how we can help them achieve their goals. This approach has helped us secure more capacity and options for our clients.”
His advice to other agencies’ principals: Listen intently and respond creatively to your team. Always seek ways to show your team that they’re valued.