Hughes Insurance recognised as a ‘great place to work’ for its new digital working model

Northern Ireland’s Hughes Insurance has been officially recognised as one of the best companies to work for by Great Place To Work.

Hughes Insurance is part of Liberty Insurance, and this sees the company being recognised simultaneously in the four European markets in which it operates, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Spain and Portugal.

The certification comes after Hughes Insurance worked with its 250 employees across Northern Ireland to develop and implement a new work model aligned with the company’s digital first strategy. Through surveys and consultation, employees made it clear that they did not want to return to the company’s previous face-to-face working model.

The certification process is awarded on opinion and assessment by staff themselves on different aspects of the company measuring confidence and the ability to attract and retain talent. Great Place To Work uses a diagnostic tool called Trust Index, a questionnaire containing 60 statements that determines the level of trust Hughes Insurance employees have toward the company.

All staff, including its senior leadership team, work primarily remotely, with the option of spending up to two days per week in the office, once it is safe to do so, to carry out specific activities or hold face-to-face meetings. The model has thrived as it is built on a culture of trust and flexibility and gives employees the freedom to live and work anywhere in Northern Ireland.

Sarah Balmforth, head of human resources at Hughes Insurance, said: “We live by our value of putting our people first and to have that recognised by Great Place to Work is as rewarding as it is motivating. Our digital transformation aligns with both the strategy of our business and the needs of our employees who now enjoy the flexibility of a great work life balance and geographic mobility across the country.”

The ‘Liberty Digital Way’, as the new structure is known, will remain permanent across Liberty Insurance sites.

Juan Miguel Estallo, CEO of Liberty Insurance, Ireland, added: “We are proud to obtain this recognition, in Northern Ireland, Ireland and across our European business, as it demonstrates the importance of encouraging active listening and continuous dialogue with and among employees when it comes to making strategic decisions, such as the implementation of the Liberty Digital Way.

“Achieving this certification is the result of months of work in collaboration with employees whose main objective was to satisfy and respond to the emotional well-being and professional development of everyone in our company.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you