It is estimated that 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely by the year 2025 . That is an increase of over 16 million people from just two years ago. The bulk of these numbers are a result of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, but for a lot of industries, it is creating lasting change. The insurance industry falls into this camp and has seen more nationwide changes than most.
Remote work has become a growing means for agents to reach more clients and recruits alike throughout the country, all from wherever they feel most comfortable working. While virtual sales are a new concept to most life insurance agents, doing business virtually has quickly become a resourceful means of being more productive, cutting costs and having a true work-life balance.
Remote work has reimagined what is possible for life insurance agents and how they conduct, track and improve their business. What was initially a hurdle for many veterans of the industry has become a needed change that many are benefiting from. Here we will break down one of the most transformative benefits for Symmetry Financial Group agents : remote work.
What started as a response to the restrictions placed by COVID-19 has become a catalyst for change within the insurance industry. Working remotely via telesales has helped reshape the current and future state of how insurance is bought and sold. By getting a non-resident license , agents are no longer limited by physical boundaries when selling life insurance.
With this type of freedom, agents can reach more clients throughout the day without worrying about driving distances, gas prices or where they’ll need to find lodging for the night. Through telecommuting and meeting with clients virtually, life insurance agents can expand their impact by helping more families while building a successful business.
Without physical boundaries, agents can help more agents throughout the day. There’s also now more time for policy check-ins, underwriting and tracking business. Beyond that, by working remotely, it's easier to cut out some of the noise that could come from a traditional office space. Fewer interruptions from personal conversations, office politics and the chance to tailor your workspace to what allows you to be the most efficient are all boons to productivity.
A recent survey by ConnectSolutions found that of the 77 percent of participants who worked remotely, 30 percent did more work in less time and 24 percent did more work in the same amount of time. During the workweek, remote workers tend to be more consistent, spend the work hours more efficiently and overall accomplish more.
With remote work, life insurance agents are cutting out a litany of distractions that would otherwise keep them from achieving their goals. In the insurance industry, more productivity correlates to more business and a higher annual income.
With remote work, life insurance agents can cut costs that previously were standard for selling policies. Previously, agents had to factor in travel costs like vehicle maintenance, overnight lodging and the price of gas into their budget. Meeting with clients was a cost that only paid off if selling a policy was guaranteed. By telecommuting, or working virtually, agents can cut all of this out. Working remotely means the only traveling necessary is the walk to your desk and potentially finding that Zoom link you sent to your client.
By working remotely, agents have more time to eat healthy meals throughout the day. Previously they may have needed to eat out while on the road or even have dinner with a client. Now that all their work can be done virtually, they can make healthier meals for a fraction of the price from their kitchen.
Another expense that may have been taken for granted in the past is the cost of work attire. Not to say that agents shouldn’t still dress professionally still, but with remote work they’re sure to be spending less on their professional wardrobe. With remote work, they can dress more affordably and comfortably.
The chief benefit of working remotely is the ability to sustain a work-life balance. This is true for all types of work but perhaps more so for life insurance agents. Traditionally, selling life insurance meant time away from home, family and in many cases neglecting self-care. Now that life insurance agents can work remotely, they can make more time for their loved ones and themselves.
Having that extra time back is invaluable. By working remotely, life insurance agents can balance a day of calling clients with personal goals like meditating or a yoga break to promote mindfulness. What’s more, by working from a home office, agents can now spend more time with their families throughout the day. Whether that’s making it to a soccer game or just taking a midday break to have lunch with your partner, working remotely opens the door for more personal time throughout the day.
With the freedom to divide their day more efficiently, life insurance agents are experiencing a work environment that is both flexible and rewarding.
With a renewed work-life balance comes an opportunity to make a schedule that meets your needs. Now that Symmetry Financial Group agents can sell life insurance in any state regardless of where they reside, agents can create a schedule that targets different parts of the country throughout the day. You might spend the morning reaching out to potential clients on the east coast, and by the afternoon move on to leads from the west coast.
More importantly, making your schedule means you can tailor your work needs around your personal time with family. You might decide to spend the morning pitching in with taking care of the kids or running them to school and then block off the rest of the day to work with clients. With remote work, your schedule is determined by whatever works best for you.
Not only does remote work make having a work-life balance easier, but it also has been found to have positive effects on mental health. A 2021 survey performed by Frontiers found that remote work was associated with an overall decrease in “psychological and physical stress responses,” and concluded that working remotely can lead to positive impacts on mental health even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beyond that, by working remotely, agents have more time to address mental health. Instead of spending more time driving from one client to another, they might schedule more time for mindfulness. These small changes, made possible with telecommuting, can make the difference for anyone struggling with their mental health throughout the day.
Through remote work, life insurance agents can make improvements to themselves, their mental health and ultimately their business.
As virtual sales become a staple for insurance agents, recruiting will become easier as well. Remote work is bound to appeal to individuals who might not be comfortable with traveling or who are looking for work that allows them to be home more often. Working remotely is a great incentive to potential recruits who otherwise would not have considered selling life insurance.
At Symmetry, we believe in giving our agents every tool they need to succeed. That’s why we offer a list of benefits, bonuses and training programs that will help them grow personally and professionally. Remote work is just one example of the benefits Symmetry agents can expect when working with us.
Symmetry Financial Group agents have access to high-quality life insurance, disability income insurance, critical illness insurance, and annuity products from more than 30 well-known insurance companies. This gives you the flexibility and reach you need to tailor plans to meet clients' individual coverage needs.
To learn more about how to begin a fulfilling career as a life insurance agent, contact us today .
