Working at Zurich

Zurich Insurance Group is one of the world’s largest insurance groups, and one of the few to operate on a truly global basis. Our mission is to help our customers understand and protect themselves from risk.

With about 55,000 employees serving customers in more than 170 countries, we aspire to become the best global insurer as measured by our shareholders, customers and employees.

Worldwide credentials

If you use our help, you’ll become one of millions of customers safe in the hands of an insurer that forms part of a leading global insurance group. We’ve got more than 130 years’ experience of giving people the financial answers they’re looking for, and you’ll find us in more than 170 countries.

And to make sure that help’s always there, we have about 60,000 employees worldwide, including 11,000 in the UK.

Mission

We’re working to become the UK’s leading provider of financial services, giving you customer service you’ve never experienced before.

We’re committed to ‘doing the right thing, in the right way and for the right reason’ for you, our employees and the communities we work in.

Business areas

We offer products and services across a range of businesses, in markets all over the world.

• Our main business segments are:
• General insurance (including property, accident, car and liability insurance)
• Life Insurance
• Pensions
• Savings and Investments

We’re a major provider of financial protection and we have especially strong positions in our key markets of North America and Europe.

Structure

Our Group structure reinforces our aspiration to be the leading global insurance group in our chosen general and life insurance markets.

• North America Commercial serves small and mid-sized businesses with standard and specialty lines of business in the United States and Canada.
• Europe General Insurance offers personal and commercial products in its key markets of Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, with a significant presence in Austria, Ireland and Portugal, and operations in Israel, Morocco, Russia and Turkey.
• Global Corporate provides distinctive products and services to major national or multinational corporations with domestic and international insurance needs.
• International Businesses serves personal and commercial customers in five regions - Latin America, Southern Africa, Australia, Japan, and Greater China/Southeast Asia.
• The Farmers Exchanges (which we manage but do not own) serve more than ten million households in the United States.
• Global Life Insurance concentrates on three regions - Europe, the United States and emerging markets - with a global focus on unit-linked and protection products.

As a company Zurich is committed to creating a working environment where every employee has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Where individual contributions are valued and where people are treated with courtesy, dignity and respect. And where employees’ wellbeing is of paramount importance. Explore the links below to learn more about our work in this area.

• All employees have the opportunity to realise their potential
• Individual contributions are valued and people are treated with courtesy, dignity and respect
• Opportunities are advertised internally and appointments based solely on an individual’s ability to do the job 
• The importance of effective employee consultation is recognised and encouraged
• The benefits of diversity and inclusion are valued in all areas of employment
• We treat people as we would want to be treated ourselves

At Zurich we celebrate the diversity of our customers through a culture that embraces inclusiveness and allows people to bring their ‘whole self’ to work. To demonstrate their commitment to our diversity and inclusion (D&I) agenda, each of our employee networks is sponsored by a member of our Executive Team, and our UK CEOs form the steering group which shapes the D&I strategy.

Induction and professional training

All new joiners appointed to Zurich in the UK are required to attend a “Welcome to Zurich” induction experience. It is important that Zurich provides a consistent, informative and professional joining experience that meets regulatory requirements. There is also a Global New Joiner Programme that is used across the UK business areas to cement the vital relationship between the managers and team members.

All employees (where relevant to their role) are required to complete various annual on-line training programmes and tests including topics relating to industry regulation and Zurich’s code of conduct.

5,229 employees used Learning & Development during 2015, some 71.65 % of our people. Instructor-led courses in skills such as project management, communication, emotional intelligence and people management has been supplemented by access to on-line learning and a virtual library of business and personal skills materials, and regulatory training. A full range of diagnostic tools can also be utilised to improve individual awareness and team effectiveness.

We continue to promote the highest standards of competence and integrity through the provision of relevant qualifications for employees at all levels, encouraging completion of professional qualifications e.g. CII, CIPD, CIMA etc. This is reflected in our continued achievement of our Corporate Chartered Title through the CII, for our UKGI business.

Through the Zurich Community Trust we also offer innovative personal development opportunities. These range from month-long business assignments in India working with partner voluntary organisations, to participation in team challenges, to professional skills delivery through the Community Trust’s Skillshare programme.