Our Blog

This year’s International Women’s Day is all about challenging the status quo to help make changes for a gender equal world. I don’t know about you but this and last year has had a different set of challenges going on, which could push gender issues off the radar.

A year ago, we launched our Support Network at AAI. As the network lead, I’m one of a team of volunteers trained in supporting colleagues experiencing domestic violence as well as those experiencing poor mental health.

We recently launched our new Limited Contents insurance product, designed for those starting out in life like students and renters, those who are downsizing, or those looking for a more affordable option. The tricky part came when we tried to convey what that new product was in its name.

Helping people into roles with meaning and purpose is what attracts recruiters like me to our craft in the first place. But when we first went into lockdown back in March, my team - like most Kiwis - started to worry about our employment future.

The Covid-19 crisis highlighted the importance of adapting to the rapidly changing needs of New Zealanders. At AA Insurance, we were one of the first insurers to announce our customer response to Covid-19.

If you want to earn trust on your first date, you wouldn't try building it with a folder of written testimonies about your reliability from friends and family. In fact, it would be the opposite, because people inherently trust one another until the trust is eroded.

AA Insurance is the first New Zealand insurer, and largest organisation in the country, to take part in the 2020 International Shimmy Mob that helps raise awareness of domestic violence and supports victims of abuse.

While we all adjust to the new normal of the COVID-19 lockdown, it may seem a bit optimistic to say there are some silver linings, but optimism is what we need right now, especially as we face the unknown.

It’s like a joke without a punchline, really; what do a room full of Chief Financial Officers have in common with climate change? At first glance, not a lot. But we do have an important role and, unsurprisingly, it involves something we’re all passionate about - finance.

We are proud to announce that AA Insurance has been accredited the DVFREE Tick from Shine, a leading New Zealand specialist domestic abuse service provider.

Given that so much of our past, present and future is gathered in the place we call home, I can’t help but think of those who face the daunting prospect of creating that place all over again.

Family violence is a delicate subject to broach, and isn’t always physical with obvious marks, but if an employer takes an explicit, pro-active and supportive stance, there is more chance of people being open about their circumstances and getting the support they need.

Last week's devastating fire at the SkyCity Convention Centre is a reminder of the importance of having a robust Business Continuity Plan in place and certainty about who’s responsible for what.

I have been making a big effort to refrain from using the ‘B’ word lately; busy. Busy is such an easy word to use, and one we hear a lot day-to-day. It has such a negative connotation, doesn’t it?

I’m fortunate to have worked a few years in claims at AA Insurance so I felt like I could contribute a little to the conversation at the recent InsurTech NZ’s event on claims —or more specifically “Creating better customer outcomes across the claims journey.”

These days most companies are committed to career development, and rightly so, as it makes complete financial sense to retain great staff and recruit from within. At AA Insurance, we call it ‘’growing our own talent’’. We know it’s incredibly important to enhance our people’s careers and improve our performance, by supporting the development of every individual.

Last year, I highlighted the need to raise awareness for gender equality around the world, particularly when there were several stories in the media featuring harassment and pay inequality at that time.

As a company, we’re focused on ensuring that we’re doing our part for the environment, especially with a team of over 700 staff. Moving our Auckland head office, including over 500 people, gave us the opportunity to look at what’s working, what isn’t and what we can focus on in the future.

Like other businesses, our motor claims team is fast approaching the Christmas break, but still has much to do to help get our customers back on the road.

To provide support to the collision repair and refinishing industry, AA Insurance introduced the Apprentice Sponsorship scheme in 2017. A year on in, we’ve come away with some great learnings.

To understand what motivates people to move to electric vehicles, we must look at what drives changes in human behaviour across the modern world.

When a PR colleague asked me the secret to driving staff engagement through internal communications at AA Insurance, I half-jokingly shot back: free stuff. Yet in reality engagement is about good communication, which takes time, effort and skill.

The percentage of women in senior teams has almost halved over the last 14 years. When we consider that 125 years ago New Zealand became the first nation in the world to give women the right to vote, it seems we’ve taken a step back. How can we turn this around?

According to a 2017 report by New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse,, one in three women have reported experiencing physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. When psychological/emotional abuse is included, the percentage jumps to 55%. Given these figures, most Kiwis will know someone who has been subjected to this.

The number and rate of changes coming at us is like nothing we’ve seen before in human existence. It's one of the few constants to be found in all companies, big and small. So, leading change is going to be crucial.

I’m not sure if you’ve looked at your social media accounts this morning, but if you’re awake and are within arm’s length of your device, then you probably have.

Change is changing faster they say, and has a profound effect on our lives. How do people keep up? How do businesses and teams keep pace? Are we going to be driving cars in five years’ time? Perhaps we’ll all get hoverboards?

It seems clear that cheating in the Australian cricket team reflects their culture, with these behaviours not only being acceptable, but appear to have become the norm.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but the trick is to notice and be grateful for all the little things that make your life a better.

New Zealand is the first to welcome each new day, which means today we’re also first to welcome in International Women’s Day. There will be those muttering why do we need an International Women’s Day at all? and you would have thought by 2018 it should be a moot point and unnecessary.

We have a history of developing and promoting our own people at AA Insurance. So it won't be surprising to learn Martin Chisholm is no stranger to our finance team. He takes up his new role as Head of Finance from March 5.

Luck, resolutions and change; they all occupy a similar space.

As we head into the Kiwi summer, most of us are looking forward to spending time with family this Christmas, but give a thought to those who work through the silly season.

Until writing this blog I’d never really given gender diversity a lot of thought. Why? Because I’ve never seen or felt any sort of judgement as a woman at AA Insurance that restricted my development or limited my opportunities.

After AA Insurance won the industry awards for Youth Insurance Professionals Employer in 2016, and was recognised as a finalist this year, Home Claims Manager Tom Bartlett reflects on what makes a great employer for those aged 35 and under.

Harassment covers a wide range of behaviours of an offensive nature. It is commonly described as behaviour that disturbs or upsets, and can be repetitive. It can come in many guises in workplaces and is unacceptable in any circumstance.

Like some New Zealand industries at the moment, motor repair trades are having a tough time finding skilled workers. So, we’ve introduced a programme designed to support new apprentices within our Quality Repairer Network.

Steve Jobs once said the secret to innovation is "saying no to 1,000 things". We should all reflect on what we choose not to do as much as the things we decide to pursue.

Investing in our people includes providing effective leadership aligned with our vision, values, purpose and strategy. I’ve seen many organisations with the fundamentals of vision and purpose in place, yet they still underperform and even fail.

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and today is World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is Mental health in the workplace and as the Head of People and Capability at AA Insurance, it’s a very important matter to me.

I just signed up for superannuation. I'm sure I'll look back on this one day and remember it was a good decision. I was sitting there yesterday, in the bank up on Constellation Drive, and I'm tapping away on the keyboard looking at some imaginary dollar figure that's supposedly going to protect me in the future, come what may.

At AA Insurance we’re all about learning and sharing ideas. In the past, we’ve mainly kept this in-house, but just recently we hosted 50 fellow Contact Centre leaders from around New Zealand, and across various industries, to see what we do.

Remembering customer needs aren't all the same.

There are more ways to be a responsible corporate citizen than having your people plant trees or volunteer for charities. While giving time, and raising money is amazing, often it can be about opening the company’s doors and inviting others in to be part of the business for a period of time.

It wasn't until I started working at AA Insurance in Claims that I realised just how important that little bit of insurance actually was.

Traditionalists and critics may argue that staff working from home cannot be trusted to remain productive, or that their lack of physical team presence will dilute company culture. Well, I’m pleased to report that AA Insurance’s foray into offering a flexible work environment has proven to be just the opposite.

There are things in life that we care about more than others. Like most people I care most about family, including our two puppies – Baxter and Harry.

Whether you’re a rugby fan or not, you’ll be hard pressed to avoid the thousands of British and Irish Lions fans descending on the country for the June tour.

We decided to enter the CRM Contact Centre Awards, in 2015, in the midst of transformation and it was a real eye opener.

On a personal level it can take time and effort to build a good reputation before people trust you. A company’s reputation is no different.

As this blog coincides with International Women’s Day, I thought I’d talk about how inspirational business leaders have helped me be a better colleague, leader and person.