Diversity and Inclusion is more than a nice to have

The insurance industry is making progress towards a diverse and inclusive workforce that considers everybody's needs, according to Anu Wettasinghe, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Manager, QBE Australia Pacific.

“Achieving greater D&I [diversity and inclusion] in the insurance industry, like any other sector, requires a comprehensive and sustained effort. D&I strategies need to be embedded in the organisational strategy, HR strategy and corporate values for it to be effective,” she says.

Practical strategies

Wettasinghe will be speaking at ANZIIF’s annual Diversity and Inclusion luncheon on 28 May 2024. She will be a member of a panel that will discuss practical strategies for fostering a culture of belonging in the insurance industry and exploring the intersection of diversity with innovation.

“To be effective, strategies need to be implemented across the employee life cycle so that D&I isn’t viewed as a ‘nice to have’ but just embedded in what we do,” she says.

This means that everything from commitment at the top, right through to onboarding new employees, needs to be part of an organisation's program.

In the insurance industry, Wettasinghe is pleased by increasing industry-wide collaboration to discuss, share knowledge and tackle challenges and the number of industry working groups, through which a wide range of insurers are working to build more diverse and inclusive workplace cultures.

A focus on culture

Wettasinghe says the opportunity for organisations to focus on workplace culture is still the biggest issue facing the industry.

"Insurers do more than pay lip service to workplace culture," she says. "They need to look at what is required to ensure safety, respect, wellbeing and belonging are shared experiences for employees across their whole experience with a firm.

“This may include gender-neutral paid parental leave, a refresh of organisational values or a focus on community impact. It may also include being representative of communities they operate in and individual needs. 

“Our people are central to our success, so it’s critical they have the confidence that they will be understood and supported, knowing our response will be authentic and won’t disrupt or minimise their career.”

Considering the needs of individuals

Making people feel supported acknowledges that an individual’s unique needs are considered. This has evolved to include areas such as neurodiversity, as we learn more about these issues.

“Neurodivergent people bring a wealth of unique strengths, thinking patterns, problem-solving skills, creativity and productivity to our workplaces,” says Wettasinghe.

Considering these diverse skills as strengths will be critical for the industry in attracting and retaining talent. As Wettasinghe points out, it is not only the right thing to do, but it also makes business sense.

Wettasinghe herself has been working in HR for nearly two decades. Her experience spans business partnering roles to being a subject matter expert in D&I and wellbeing.

Prior to QBE, she worked at Allianz, The Heart Foundation and Country Road.

“[These roles] all provided great experiences, showing the breadth of HR opportunities that exist. Working in HR provides an ability to build transferrable skills that can be used in different industries and companies,” she says.

Lack of representation

Part of what drew Wettasinghe to D&I was the lack of representation that she experienced growing up.

“I didn’t see many people like me on TV, in leadership positions or sporting fields,” she says.

“People are generally drawn to work in D&I for a particular reason, whether it’s a personal connection, their own lived experience or passion for social justice. As someone from a culturally diverse background, a female and a working parent, this rings true for me.

“In the D&I world, we refer to this as intersectionality, but essentially it's recognising that we all have many experiences and identities that shape who we are and how we show up.”

She adds that her career in D&I closely aligns with her values and purpose when it comes to respect, equity and giving everyone a fair go.

“I feel fortunate to play a part in helping to create a thriving culture that fosters inclusion, trust and belonging, and where people feel valued for their contributions.”

Key demographics

At ANZIIF’s Diversity and Inclusion event, Wettasinghe says she will be sharing examples of how the insurance sector can promote an inclusive culture and identify opportunities to support belonging across the industry.

“One example will be around our global Inclusion of Diversity targets for QBE employees, which focus on instilling a sense of belonging across four key diversity demographics: gender, LGBTIQ+, disability and ethnicity,” she says.

In any D&I policy, visibility is key. This means the visibility of diverse role models but also includes the visibility of an organisation's commitment to inclusion and belonging.

“While leaders play a key role, fostering an inclusive workplace is everyone’s responsibility,” Wettasinghe says.

Find out more about the Diversity and Inclusion Luncheon