For more than 90 years, Allstate has always seen itself as more than just another insurance company. As the Good Hands, Allstate empowers customers with protection to help protect them against life’s uncertainties while also working hard to improve the communities in which it operates at the exact same time.
The company has evolved tremendously since it was originally founded in 1931, and recently it’s entered the latest – and arguably the most important – phase of business transformation. Over the past year and half, teams have been working tirelessly to execute a strategy that better serves customers by leveraging the Allstate brand, people and technology to improve long-term competitive position and accelerate growth by being more available, affordable, simple and connected – all while sheltering at home and staying safe from the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. By far, one of the most important ingredients to this has been creating an inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace in a remote working environment.
Allstate stands committed to creating a workplace that changes how, when and where work is done - to lead boldly into the future. This includes a permanent shift in working environment, one that was heavily influenced by our most important asset of all: the employees themselves.
The Future Workplace Has Arrived
Even after the pandemic is behind us, Allstate will still enable new ways of working for employees permanently. Allstate did a great deal of employee listening through surveys and focus groups, and 95% of Allstaters voiced their desire for more flexible work. As a result, the future of Allstate’s workplace will offer employees flexibility in their jobs to help them live their best lives outside of work.
Group of people having a video conference
For Allstaters, gone are the days of long daily commutes and dedicated desk spaces. The majority of Allstate’s workforce will work in a virtual setting within a hybrid or home-based arrangement and only a very small percentage of employees will be office-based full-time.
Most people are familiar with home-based and office-based ways of working, but the concept of a hybrid role is new to most people. For Allstate, a role designated as a hybrid position, means that the employee will regularly use the office, but still have the flexibility needed to work from home as needed. The hybrid model is intended to provide greater flexibility – and will mean something different to each team, job, and employee. For most employees in a hybrid role, office presence will be driven by the nature of their work and team needs on a given day. There may be weeks where an employee is in an Allstate office every day and other weeks where they’re only working from home. There may be times employees might find themselves collaborating virtually with a project team and then deciding to assemble in the office the next day to brainstorm. Others will follow a schedule set by their leaders, making office presence more predictable. This may apply to someone if their role is operational in nature or their team likely benefits from in-person collaboration, onboarding, training and development, or coaching sessions with a front-line leader.
Allstate’s home-based employees are those who have jobs that don’t actually require an office presence, meaning they’ll work from home full-time. Still, they’ll have full access to Allstate buildings as needed – as frequent or infrequent as that may be.
This model is crucial, as it allows employees to focus as much as possible on their well-being – something that is especially important during these uncertain times. They can work how they want, when they want and be as productive as possible on their own terms. For many, the ability to not have to worry about a commute with your pet at your feet or the ability to finally have a nice lunch with your partner makes all the difference to mental health and wellness in the world.
Supporting virtual work through the use of technology
Allstate is supporting this shift to virtual work through a number of initiatives. Already underway, they are deploying advanced technology solutions to create a seamless experience across both homes and offices.
- Advanced conferencing capabilities – Zoom Rooms – leverages AI to capture faces in the conference room for home-based employees, leading to a level playing field
- Digital whiteboards, such as Mural, will allow for real-time brainstorming
- A powerful desk reservation tool – iOffice – will enable hybrid teams to coordinate schedules and seating to collaborate effectively
Hybrid team conducting a meeting.
Allstate will continue to support these working arrangements in other ways, too. To support virtual employees with extra expenses that come from working remotely, Allstate is providing a monthly connectivity reimbursement to help offset some of the costs of Internet and phone services. Allstate will also offer home equipment resources for virtual employees to ensure employees are setup for success with their home offices.
Allstate is excited to lead the way for large organizations to approach new ways of working through more intentional use of communication and collaboration practices, processes, and tools. If all of this sounds like the type of working environment that you’ve been searching for, the good news is that Allstate is always looking for eager candidates to put our customers in Good Hands and help create the future of protection.
To view available job openings, visit allstate.jobs today.
