014: Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in Insurance Leadership with Hannah Pring

Written By Danielle OReilly

Why are there so few women in senior leadership roles in insurance? How can culture shifts within organisations facilitate female talent retention? How can we encourage companies to consider DEI initiatives not simply as tick-box exercises but as integral means of driving positive change?

In this episode, we are thrilled to be speaking with Hannah Pring, Head of Compliance at Lockton and host of the incredible Miracle Working Mums podcast! In conversation with Sandra Lewin, Hannah discusses the importance of women establishing a supportive network both within and beyond their organisations to support them, particularly as they rise the ranks to more senior positions. She explores the importance of challenging the hegemony of ‘alpha male’ energy in insurance and the broader finance sector, and the power of feminine energy and active listening.

 Quote of the Episode

“How business is done needs to be more diverse… the pitfall for some organisations can be to appoint somebody into a diversity role… and that does an excellent job. I really believe all contribution is really valuable, and everything's turning the dial. But, how do you turn the next notch,? It's been really important to make sure the messages are getting out there. But we need to make sure we're not tell[ing] a story that doesn't really ring true day-to-day in people's roles.”

Hannah argues that while the insurance industry is beginning to make great strides in its diverse recruitment efforts, this will not have a significant, long-term impact within companies unless their culture also changes. Diversity needs to be embedded into the fibre of everything an organisation does. When designing and distributing products; when thinking about clients, is your company thinking about the diversity of its clients, all of their needs, and how accessible these products might be for them? Thus, whilst bringing in diverse talent is a great first step, the culture in-house also needs to shift. Otherwise, companies may find that this new talent doesn’t stay for very long.

Key Takeaways

Hannah argues that, historically, feminine traits have been considered ‘degrading’ within insurance, and across the financial sector. In an industry where the ‘alpha male’ mindset continues to prevail, actively displaying and celebrating one’s femininity often may lead to others thinking less of you. Hannah suggests that women have typically progressed more successfully when they have presented more generically ‘masculine’ attributes, thereby suppressing their ‘feminine’ qualities. This is particularly the case in the upper echelons of the industry which continue to be dominated by men. Those women who do reach senior leadership roles may feel a pressure to assimilate themselves into that environment, and become homogenised, rather than embracing and displaying their diverse feminine approach.

It’s about time that the perpetuation of ‘alpha male’ energy in insurance is challenged. Hannah argues that the incorporation of alternative energies can be extremely powerful, and can foster a more supportive and inclusive environment in the workplace. There’s a lot of power in silence, and actively listening in a leadership position can help new voices and ideas be heard.

This is particularly important as we endeavour as an industry to promote female talent retention, which often drops off as women begin to plan families. We need to have open conversations within the industry about how we can support women who decide to have children, and who often wish to retain their careers. These topics, along with issues around women’s health, remain highly taboo across insurance, but they need not be. Hannah’s ‘Miracle Working Mums’ podcast aims to fill this void, enabling women to share their stories of planning a family alongside their working lives.

Best Moments/Key Quotes

“I feel a huge responsibility to other women in insurance… there’s so few beyond mid-levels. Most organisations are managing to recruit 5050. And to keep up to mid management sort of 5050. But you really see that sort of proportionality drift off beyond manager level.”

‘All sorts of underrepresented groups have the capacity to do what everybody else does, but not the opportunity.’

‘The best skill that you can have as a leader is actually active listening, but in order to actively listen, you have to be quiet.’

“I feel like talking about planning a family and starting a family is something that is actually difficult for women to do, because we often talk about our personal life with our friends and our peers. But actually, oftentimes, you are approaching [having a family], at different times to your peers, or with different challenges. And you may or may not have someone at work that you feel you can talk to, because there's a whole dynamic when you're talking about trying to get pregnant, or challenges with getting pregnant, or what have you, at work.”

Resources

About the Guest

Hannah currently specialises in Regulatory Compliance with a wealth of experience in the London Insurance Market. She has developed a high performing team and actively leads projects that develop Lockton’s wider corporate culture. Hannah is an Executive MBA candidate at King’s College London, and recipient of the Women Excelling in Business scholarship award, funded by The 30% Club. Hannah is the host of the Miracle Working Mums podcast, and is passionate about supporting women in business and increasing the female contribution to economic growth.

About the Host

Connect with Sandra on LinkedIn and find out more: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sandralewin

Danielle OReilly
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013: Shifting Perceptions of Insurance Careers with Florence Dennis and Charlotte West