Why Taking Care of Business Means Taking Care of Employees First

Putting employees first is the undeniable key to success, said Edward J. Mackoul, president and CEO of Mackoul Risk Solutions, this year’s Silver Award winner of the Best Agency to Work For in the East region.

“Our employees are our greatest asset, and we take care of them,” Mackoul said. “There is a saying that the customer always comes first, but in our agency, our employees come first, so everything we do, every decision we make, we are thinking of our employees.”

Founded in 1987, Mackoul specializes in real estate insurance, business insurance, commercial insurance, personal insurance, and employee benefits, and has offices in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.

Nominating employees cited a great work-life balance, employee recognition, professional development opportunities, and open communication at all levels of the organization.

In addition to allowing unlimited remote work, the office closes at 1 p.m. every Friday, year-round, to give employees long weekends. Employees are also rewarded for reaching monthly retention and new business goals with gift cards, time off, and even trips.

“I am not sure I have ever worked with a team that is as genuinely satisfied, engaged, and fulfilled in their roles as the people here,” said a nominating employee, noting their 25-year industry career. “It is truly a breath of fresh air to work alongside individuals who are not only highly knowledgeable and talented but who also take pride in what they do and support one another’s success.”

Many of the team members said the employee-first culture has created a supportive, collaborative, and engaged workplace.

The company emphasizes that its employees are its most valuable resource and fosters an environment that is both challenging and rewarding, said another employee. “The culture is built on teamwork, integrity, innovation, and exceptional client service, creating opportunities for employees to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact on clients and colleagues alike.”

Putting employees first also translates to better customer service, said one nominating team member. “We want to go the extra mile to help out because we get recognized for our efforts and everyone shares in the success of the company.”

While many in the insurance field are concerned about the impact of AI on the workforce, Mackoul said management and staff are working together to incorporate technology to make jobs easier, not to replace people.

“It may prevent us from having to hire new employees in the future, but it will not take away a single job from a current employee,” Mackoul said. “That is a guarantee.”

Being an independent agency gives the agency the freedom to make decisions based on the team’s needs, and to allocate time and funds as needed to back up the employee-first philosophy.

“If we were not independent, we could not do a lot of what we do now for our staff,” Mackoul said. “We spend a lot of money, and that would not be acceptable if we were no longer independent, because the goal would then be to have the largest profit possible and some of the things we do would not be budgeted for.”

Mackoul advises other agency owners to choose employees over profit. “If you do that, the profit will follow.”