Celebrating, promoting and advancing the impact made by women in insurance is a cause close to the heart of Georgina Robinson (pictured), partner – construction at McGill and Partners and a long-time supporter of the Women in Insurance summit.
Registration is now open: Book your place at the Women in Insurance Summit 2023 in London today
Speaking ahead of the conference – to be held November 30 at the Hilton Canary Wharf – where she will moderate a panel discussion on ‘Fighting Fatigue’, Robinson emphasised the importance of having touchpoints in the diary that foster the development of a healthy peer support network. Looking at the construction sector, she said, being part of the Women Allies in Construction Insurance Network has opened her eyes to the power of bringing people together to share insights, experiences and advice.
“I think the big benefit of these networking opportunities is that I’ve got to meet some incredible people I just wouldn’t have met if I’d stayed siloed, just looking at broking, and I didn’t get to meet underwriters that have achieved amazing things and other brokers in the market,” she said. “They’re all doing such amazing work, and we get to share our stories, our journeys, our successes, and learn from each other about how to overcome the challenges we all face.”
Of the range of topics on the agenda of the upcoming summit, it was the subject of fighting fatigue that drew Robinson’s interest. Burnout has always existed as a concept, she said, but it’s interesting to see how conversations about overcoming the challenge of fatigue are becoming more prevalent – framed in the context of advanced education and shared discussions about mental health.
“You can even see it on LinkedIn, where you’ll see lots more articles from people sharing their experiences of burnout,” she said. “It’s becoming a more relevant topic, so it’s great to see it represented at this year’s Women in Insurance Summit. Because there are moments that we all go through when we experience ups and downs in our careers and our personal lives - when you’re really striving for the career move that gives you the next opportunity but you’re balancing that with being a carer, or childcare commitments or all the other things that come outside of work.”
Walking that tightrope of balancing internal and external pressures can become overwhelming, and getting that balance right requires the right coping mechanisms. In the past, she said, she has had to take those strategies on board – and instrumental to this has been accepting that sometimes there simply isn’t the bandwidth to get involved with every single work, social and community commitment that you want to dedicate your time and support to.
Sharing some of the structures that have worked best for her, Robinson highlighted the power of effective organisation and prioritisation. Being highly organised in how you allocate your time and energy prevents your diary from being overwhelmed, she said, and it gives you a better sense of what you have the bandwidth for. She recommended blocking off time in your diary for strategising and making sure to also block off time for a break when you are out of contact.
“It’s important to be open with the rest of your team about that, so they know that’s when you’re busy, and also to encourage them to do the same,” she said. “I’ve got a number of people reporting to me and I’ll tell them that I’m going to take this time out, and you should do it too. Take time out of your day, whatever time it is, and go for a walk, to get away from your desk. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed.”
Apps like the Calm app have also proven very helpful, Robinson said, and there are a lot of great podcasts out there involving leaders sharing what fatigue-fighting tips work best for them. Last but certainly not least, she underscored the power of having a great support network around you who are looking out for you, and finding ways to support and bolster you at every juncture in your career.
In addition to how people can be empowered and equipped to fight fatigue, companies must look to support and complement those efforts. An inclusive corporate culture is one that is actively engaging in these discussions, she said, because that inclusivity is about empathy, compassion and having a genuine understanding of what’s going on in the lives of your people and how you can help them.
“It’s not a tangible thing and it can be difficult to measure accurately,” she said. “We’re not yet at a point where you can put the question out there – are you suffering with fatigue or burnout? But we are teaching managers how to recognise the signs of burnout, and we’re equipping employees with the tools and resources that they need should they be feeling overwhelmed.
“And a lot of these employee resources are really fantastic. I know from McGill, that you can just call them about absolutely anything in your life – whether it’s fatigue, or financial struggles, or mental health concerns. And that’s a great resource to have on hand.”
As moderator of the upcoming panel, Robinson said she’s looking forward to hearing insights from Crawford & Company’s Lisa Bartlett and Aon’s Lisa Patel on the subject. It will be great to hear their recommendations, she said, but also to listen to their stories and experiences. Crucially, she said, the panel discussion will also offer an opportunity to really dig into the question of why fatigue and burnout exist in the way that they do – and to assess the external factors causing this challenge.
“We all know that there are certain pressures but I think we’ll able to break that down a bit further, to carry out some root cause analysis,” she said. “That will allow us to work to better manage those pressures so we don’t get to the situation where we have to strategise, where we can evolve to meet this challenge differently. […] I’m really keen to learn from the great people who will be speaking and sharing their ideas at the summit. I’m looking forward to attending this year and being part of it. It’s a real honour actually.”
Georgina Robinson will be moderating a panel at the upcoming Women in Insurance Summit in London. You can book your place today.
What are your thoughts on this story? Feel free to share them in the comment box below.
