America’s Best Independent Agencies to Work For

The votes have been tallied and the results are in for the 2013 Best Independent Insurance Agency to Work For survey by Insurance Journal.

The owners of the Best Agencies to Work For in 2013 highlight different programs or benefits depending upon their employees’ needs, their community, agency history, resources, even their own personalities and styles. However, it is clear that it’s not all about benefits and programs. Happiness in the workplace has a lot to do with people and relationships. Employees of the winning agencies cite high personal job satisfaction; rate their relationships with their immediate boss or supervisor as positive; and express a high opinion of their agency’s owner or principals.

Many employees are grateful the best agency owners support local communities through charitable efforts and community outreach. Employees are grateful for the opportunities their agencies provide for them to participate in community service. Employees take pride in working for agencies that are respected in their communities. Employees also appreciate the generosity of their agency owners in sharing revenues in the form of bonuses and trips.

The best agencies also provide ways to help their employees grow — by giving them the tools and technology they need, and supporting them with education, training, annual performance reviews and, in some cases, mentors. The survey results clearly show employees value this support.

As expected, the winning agencies score high for overall employee benefits including wellness programs and for working conditions including flex-time and alternative schedules that allow employees to work from home.

The best agencies to work for also provide employees with a strong sense of work-life balance, and deliver a workplace environment where employees feel supported wholeheartedly by management and their peers. Many of the employees say they feel like family in their agencies.

Insurance Journal thanks the many customer service representatives, account executives, producers, managers and other agency staff who took the time to nominate independent insurance agencies for this year’s survey.