People leave - it happens. But our time together is still incredibly valuable.

Foreword by Tina Phillips, VP of People, Talent & Culture

Moving on from a workplace is a natural part of any professional life. In this day and age, even more so than ever. The days of sticking to one company, one role, one job, are truly well in the past for an increasing number of us who are lucky enough to have a choice. This is certainly true in the tech industry and while even a few years back recruiters would raise an eyebrow at so-called ‘job hopping', today it’s widely understood and accepted that folks move for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes one finds that they’re not as passionate about the product as they thought. Sometimes expectations around the day-to-day were somewhat misaligned. Sometimes a better opportunity comes knocking at the most awkward of times. Often, compensation is no longer the main driver. In my experience (and I have a reasonable amount with leaving - both personal and in my professional capacity), rarely does leaving a job mean something went terribly and irreparably wrong. And yet…we still don't talk about the subject. A departure is announced internally, an exit interview conducted, equipment sent back and - it’s like the person leaving never even existed, somehow.

So when we recently had a leaver who was also a part of our content team, I thought ‘hey, maybe George wants to say something about his departure, help us normalise these things a little, maybe show that new beginnings should be celebrated.' I knew he would - with less than 6 months under his belt, George moved from a Community & Social Media Specialist role at INSHUR onto bigger and better things. And we’re cheering him on from the sidelines every step of the way!

Hey, I’m George! I was the Communication and Community Manager at INSHUR between 2021 and early 2022. As I move on to the next chapter in my career, I look back at my time with the company with gratitude for the opportunities given, connections made and the incredible work we were able to accomplish together. While my time as part of the team has drawn to a close, I wanted to share a bit about what I learned and observed along the way.?

My ideas were implemented

One of the many benefits of start-up culture is that the opportunity to implement new initiatives is constant.

We all see LinkedIn posts around “this is how we’ve always done it” being an unfavourable approach to work. At INSHUR, not only are new ideas championed, it has the beauty of being a start-up where you might be the first person doing your role/task anyway - you set the standard, so to speak.

For example, I worked on the INSHUR B2C social media. Before me, it hadn’t had much love given to it. Since late August 2021, with some simple changes and best practices put in place, we created:

• 1,000+ new connections
• +116.7% increase in interactions vs the same period prior
• +68% impressions on our social content vs the same period prior

How? I presented the ideas I recommended, got heard, and was encouraged to lead those changes. This is just one example of being able to implement my ideas. INSHUR respects the knowledge and experiences you’re bringing to the fold, so if you’re reading this and you’re new to the team or thinking of applying to join, the time to put your ideas forward is today.

Leaders that both lead and listen

Sometimes hearing your objectives fed down the chain of command can cause a feeling of disconnect - it does for me anyway. One thing I loved at INSHUR is having direct contact with the leaders every week in company-wide calls. They share the core business updates and goals, and I can ask the questions that matter to me. An open space to rally behind, and sometimes challenge, the common goal is active leadership at its best for me.?

Plus, seeing “Ed Hill” submitted as an answer to every ice-breaker question somehow never gets old. Probably does get old for you Ed Hill - you do a great job of hiding it though!

Leading industry platform? Tried it

Today’s marketing is all about platforms, software, and tools. I struggle to think of one marketing activity that doesn’t involve its own custom-built tool. Having worked in some very traditional set-ups before (designing in PowerPoint - good times), I loved having access to market-leading platforms at my fingertips whilst at INSHUR. Learning the new ones, trialling the latest, and being able to stay up-to-date with those I already knew.

Sometimes we take for granted the tools we’re given to do our jobs well. Finding a company that understands what you do and supports you with the right tools to do it - invaluable.?

My time at INSHUR is filled with more goodness than these few paragraphs can capture. It was short, very sweet, and certainly one that I’ll remember. If you’re thinking of applying for a role at INSHUR, my recommendation is… go for it.?

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