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As we approach the end of 2021, ongoing discussions are revolving around the impact of the pandemic on the Canadian insurance and financial landscape, clients, and insurance providers. How do we manage all the recent changes, continue to improve, and tackle any new challenges that may come from initiatives which will be undertaken in 2022?

2019 was a year of collaboration and that is what APEXA has created and will continue to carry as we move forward in 2020. I started with APEXA in 2014, when it was merely an idea. As the first employee, there was no platform built; we did not have a team; we didn’t even have a name. I have witnessed so much over the last 5+ years, but 2019 has been unprecedented. The major accomplishments over the last year are truly a testament to the industry’s commitment to be constantly improving, modernizing and working digitally.

We’ve all heard it: the life insurance industry is changing. The transition to digital is upon us; the use of electronic apps has almost doubled in the last 18 months and we conduct more and more of our lives on the web.

I am always excited to attend industry conferences, as they provide so much potential for learning, networking, and are a great way to connect with many colleagues and clients face-to-face in an efficient way.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to moderate an OmbudService panel at the CLHIA 2019 Compliance and Consumer Complaints Annual Conference, attended by many leaders in compliance, representatives from the provincial regulators, and provincial councils.

You and your team have worked really hard to communicate and make everybody aware and excited about your change.  You’ve shared the knowledge they need to be successful and through practice, feedback, and coaching you know they have the ability. The last step in achieving success in your change management strategy means making sure your team proceeds to embrace the change they’ve implemented.

A huge part of what we do at APEXA is work with our clients as they embark on the path to change.  Moving towards an industry solution for Advisor compliance and contracting is more than a big step towards standardization, it is implementing new technology and changing the way our clients’ teams complete their work on a daily basis.

Yes, we’re talking change again. The reason is simple: change is necessary; change helps us move forward and if you are going to do it, you might as well do it right.

Our series about change management is written to equip you with the tools to help yourself and your team as you encounter change. You have to plan change, but you also have to understand the people aspect of change in order to make sure it is effective. 

We have talked about how change can be good, even though at first it seems overwhelming or is unexpected.  Change within the workplace or team has even more nuances to consider as it impacts many people in different ways.

In our blog  Change is Good …..If You Know How to Manage It, we talked about how a comprehensive, organized approach is key for effective change management.

Change is challenging. It happens everyday. It is unavoidable. But it is manageable. Once you know how to manage it, the anxiety and dread we typically associate with deviating from the routine will start to dissipate. Some changes are small, like changing a brand you are used to, or taking a new route to work.  But, there are also bigger changes, like adding a new pet to the family, relocating to a different city; or even process changes at work that affect how you perform in your role each day. Regardless of the scope or impact a change will have on your work or personal life, it is not something that needs to be feared if you are well-equipped to handle it.

Compliance touches so many aspects of an Advisor’s business. It impacts everything from required licensing, E&O, educational requirements, sales practices, know your client processes, to financial needs analyses, product suitability, sales disclosures and so much more. It goes without saying that we all want to be compliant, so we might as well take advantage of the options we have to simplify and standardize compliance processes.