Embracing Virtual Learning in the Insurance Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in the widespread acceptance of a virtually operating society. Before the pandemic there seemed to be some resistance to embrace a virtual way of life and then, almost overnight, a virtual reality was thrust upon us. Those who were prepared to operate virtually saw minimal interruptions to operations, while some who did not have the infrastructure in place struggled.

Today, virtual learning is imperative to insurance agents and carriers who deliver loss control training to policyholders. Utilizing technology to ensure the health and safety of a group is a risk control measure itself!

Traditionally, training that was not conducted in person was considered “cheap” and not as well-received as in-person instruction. However, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the digital direction the world was headed in, and Great American Specialty Human Services made an investment in developing digital risk management resources. Our efforts allowed us to be prepared when 2020 made it necessary to utilize virtual options.

Virtual Learning Resources That Help You

We are pleased to have the tools to provide information and resources for our customers easily. They can instantly attend webinars and open forums, take online courses, and “visit us” in virtual conferences. Though we can’t be in-person to learn from each other, these digital tools enable us to continue to execute with excellence and facilitate the transfer of knowledge from one individual to another.

• GreatAcademy^SM – A robust learning management system with curated selection of risk management courses
• Live Webinars – Monthly hour-long webinars featuring guest speakers and subject matter experts
• Training Network Now – A virtual learning library with hundreds of video trainings and quizzes
• Micro-learning video shorts – A series of 3-minute videos that provide helpful best practice tips on subjects important to nonprofit organizations

It is important to keep in mind that people learn in different ways. As a result, there is no one single solution to learning. The very best way that insurance professionals can deliver critical training is to draw upon multiple resources as learning tools and offer variations of the lessons to allow for different styles of information absorption.

There will always be a need for practical skills training, especially in manual, labor-intensive settings, but we should not be afraid to keep considering alternatives. Innovation is the key to staying relevant, and we should always remain relevant to our policyholders. Already we are learning about innovations in the forms of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) that could deliver a virtual solution to the need for onsite/practical training. As an industry, insurance professionals should be looking for ways to embrace this technology to remain relevant to our policyholders and reduce losses. We should position ourselves in such a manner that we are able to forge a path into this exciting opportunity versus trying to catch-up to it.

The advent of these virtual learning resources offers opportunities to bring value to the business relationships we forge with our valued policyholders. The acceptance of virtual learning in the insurance industry opened the door to a world of digital possibilities. I look forward to exploring, innovating and continuing to push the limits of what’s possible to best serve our agents and insureds.

To learn more about how the Specialty Human Services Division can help your human or social service organization visit us here.