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Jim Effner ​ Master Sales Trainer, Financial Services Speaker, President of P2P Group Jim Effner is a financial services speaker and master sales trainer with 27 years of experience. Formerly, Jim was Managing Partner of the Effner Financial Group, one of the largest Northwestern Mutual offices in the country, consisting of 117 full-time advisors, insuring over 65,000 policyholders with a face amount of nearly $27 billion. Jim began the first 12 years of his career as an advisor and is a lifetime Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) qualifier. He was also a three-time Forum qualifier, representing the top 5% of all Northwestern Mutual advisors, and the youngest person to make Forum the first two times he qualified. Jim has also overcome numerous life challenges, including losing his hearing just 30 days after taking his managing partner contract. Now, as President of P2P Group, Inc., he shares his proven systems for success with financial professionals around the country. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Harley Gordon ​ Founding Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Harley Gordon is a founding member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a professional organization that deals with legal and ethical issues facing the elderly. He has been voted as one of the 100 most influential people in long-term care by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. His views on the consequences of not having a plan for long-term care have been featured in the national media including, The CBS Evening News, The Today Show, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Gordon has spoken at numerous national conferences including, The Financial Planning Association, The National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors, and The National Association of Health Underwriters. Mr. Gordon’s experience led him to create the Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) program (www.ltc-cltc.com ). It is the country’s first designation focused on training financial service professionals. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List As technology continues to advance at warp speed and as the demographics and dynamics of the workplace change, it’s easy to fall behind. Here’s the good news: many common challenges that companies, firms and agencies face can be solved with e-learning. Here are six key areas in which e-learning can conquer the challenges that erode morale and profits in our organizations. 1. Generational Differences Can Cause a Disconnect With 80 million Millennials in the population, these 17- to 36-year-olds (in 2017) are the largest generation to date. Myriad companies have conducted research to discover how to provide training that will appeal to Millennials and result in the optimum outcome for organizations. In many companies, firms and agencies, there is a yawning gap in communication and mutual understanding among the generations. It’s important to train Millennials in a way they respond to. It’s also critical that Millennials, Baby Boomers and Gen Xer’s understand and respect one another’s differences in communication style, career mind-set and learning preferences. This type of communication gap can be an obstacle to your organization’s success, especially if your training manager is not on board with modifying training in a way that appeals to generations other than the one he or she represents. If that’s the case, that manager probably needs training and/or coaching to learn and accept generational differences. Here are a few tips for creating Millennial-friendly training, gleaned from our personal experience in training and from myriad research studies: Keep Millennials informed. They want to know what we expect of them, what criteria we will use to evaluate them and how it will impact them. Make the training tech-based. For Millennials, education has always been delivered via online platforms. Many are “digital natives” who don’t know anything else. Make it visually compelling. Millennials are accustomed to icons, infographics and other visual representations of data. Massive blocks of text will bore them. Coach them. Follow up with them regularly. Guide them through the entire learning program, one step at a time. Many are accustomed to “sound bites,” and a longterm training program can seem overwhelming. Make training flexible and easy to access. Deliver it in a format that fits younger advisors’ lifestyles. Many younger advisors log in at 1 a.m. or midnight to watch training videos. It’s not about our schedule; it’s about their schedule. We need to note here that flexible and 24/7 training is important for veteran advisors, too. Sometimes older advisors feel like their lives are being turned upside down because of the constant, frenetic pace of change. Many of them are self-conscious about needing to get up to speed in certain areas in which younger advisors already excel. Deliver training and education they can watch anytime, anywhere, in the privacy of their homes or offices. Numerous studies show this is what veteran producers want. When we interview experienced advisors, and ask them what aspects of their current role they’re unhappy about, they often say something like, “When I first joined the firm, I got great training for the first three months, but then it disappeared.” 2. External Managers and Specialists Need to Adapt to Your Systems When you hire managers and specialists from outside the organization, it’s important to make sure their initiatives align with what you’re already doing. This is especially critical if you hire more than one external person at once. You want to make sure that if they are building something new, it’s all done according to consistent guidelines that anyone in the organization can duplicate. Each manager doing something differently is not the way to run an organization. It should be something anyone can grab off the shelf and use. Training also can help you make sure your external managers aren’t bringing ineffective systems with them. If they had used those systems successfully in their previous roles, they wouldn’t have left. 3. Staff Members Need to Learn Something New Too often, when companies and firms train staff members, they provide training that teaches them how to do the job they’re already in. Sometimes that’s necessary, but we also need to teach them skills that will help them progress and learn something new. Research shows that a lack of training is one reason talented people leave. We often see producers with anywhere from 3 to 20 staff members who do 99 percent of the client interaction. These critical support staff won’t talk with clients about subjects they don’t understand — and that translates into missed opportunities for cross-selling. Offer them training that teaches them about all the products you sell. Make it part of their responsibility to recognize what products each client needs, and reward that effort with an incentive. Your sales will skyrocket. 4. Day-to-Day Documentation Should Be a Priority Accepting the responsibility for annual compliance is something everyone learns early in this career. But what about documentation of day-to-day occurrences that can have a significant impact on your organization? What if someone hears a conversation that turns out to be important, but no one documents it? What if a customer complaint snowballs, and there is no record of what happened? Training is a simple solution. Educate everyone in your organization about the importance of documenting various interactions with clients. Specify who is responsible for what, and provide them with guidelines. Everyone needs to be able to prove that they’re handling things as they are required to by law and according to the organization’s expectations. Building a training program like this will require your management team to make some business decisions. But it needs to be done. As the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” E-training can help, whether you hire someone to customize it or you produce it in-house. 5. There Is a Lot of Expertise in Your Organization That You Can Leverage People often learn their most valuable strategies from their colleagues. By establishing focus groups, study groups, joint-work opportunities, teams and mentoring partnerships, you can leverage the vast knowledge and wisdom that already exists in your organization. Offering this type of in-house training will help you retain your reps because they are likely to value being able to learn new things. This shouldn’t be the traditional Monday new-agent school; it should be an ongoing effort to encourage reps to share what they know with their colleagues. This will be especially helpful to second-to-fifthyear agents and veteran agents, who have already completed all the formal training and may feel like they’re no longer growing. They can watch training videos together and share best practices regarding what is and is not working. And they can find ways to combine their expertise in a way that provides clients with more value. You can use e-learning with these groups for brainstorming, to look for something they haven’t seen or heard before and to serve as a refresher on concepts they may have neglected, such as networking. Advisors can use the training resources to help them grow their businesses, develop their staff or junior associates in a team-building arrangement or bring a son or daughter into the business. For example, with e-learning, a veteran producer can spend his or her time teaching the next generation valuable relationship-building skills and have the younger reps supplement that unique perspective with videos that teach the fundamentals of selling. This cannot be a set-it-and-forget-it program. I am amazed at the number of organizations that spend a lot of time building a system and delegating tasks to people, but then there is no follow-up. They have no idea if the system is working or not. But they never followed up on it, promoted it or assessed its value. 6. E-Learning Can Be a Resource, Not a Curriculum Often, bite-sized training is more effective than a longterm, formal curriculum-based program. E-learning makes it easy for reps to access ideas, concepts, education, knowledge and skills. Many reps, especially Millennials, are more likely to use training that they view as a resource, not a curriculum. It needs to be something they want to learn, not something their managers expect them to do. With “sound bites” of training, such as short videos, reps can watch a brief segment over and over again. Repetition is the mother of all learning. When you hear something many times, you become indoctrinated into it, and your recall and retention improves. Lawyers don’t know every case study or precedent. They know the fundamental concepts by heart, and they know where to find the laws, regulations and proceedings that will help them with a case. 6 Common Challenges E-Learning Can Solve

Ben Newman ​ Best-Selling Author, International Speaker Ben Newman is a Best-Selling Author, International Speaker and highly regarded Performance Coach whose clients include top companies around the world, business executives, high performing sales organizations and professional athletes in the NFL, MLB, PGA and NCAA. Ben’s most recent book, “Own Your Success” was ranked by CEO READ as their #13 business book of 2012! In addition in 2012, The Napoleon Hill Foundation recognized Ben as one of the TOP 51 speakers & thought leaders in the World! Ben’s renowned Boot Camp’s, speaking, books, blogs and videos empower and inspire thousands of individuals each year to maximize results in their lives personally and professionally. Participants are able to uncover their true potential, ready to create the life they are meant to fight for and enjoy. Ready to take on THEIR relentless pursuit of greatness: Their Prizefighter Day! Ben’s mother, Janet Fishman Newman’s death, 11 days before his eighth birthday, left a cavernous hole in his universe. Yet while his mother passed away all those years ago, not a single day goes by without the reminder that she helped Ben become the man that he is today. Her strength, her love, her work ethic and her legacy live on through him, through the family he has created, and through the work he does. He has come to realize that she was demonstrating a very important truth – our circumstances in life are much less significant than our responses to them. Ben empowers audiences to recognize that “YOUR success is not just about changing YOUR habits, it’s about changing the way YOU think.” His clients have included: United States Army, MARS Snackfoods, St. Louis Cardinals, Northwestern Mutual, AFA Singapore, Mass Financial Group, Wells Fargo Advisors, Great West Life Canada, Boston Medical Center, Boys & Girls Club of America, St. Croix, New York Life, The Minnesota Vikings, as well as thousands of executives, entrepreneurs, athletes and sales teams from around the globe who attend his speeches and seminars. His authentic, powerful, and engaging presentations have become nationally recognized. Ben has shared the stage with Tony Dungy, Colin Powell, Brian Tracy, Ken Blanchard, Jon Gordon, Dr. Jason Selk, Floyd Little, Aeneas Williams, Walt Jocketty and other leaders and legends in the world. Ben is a 6-time author and his latest book, Own YOUR Success: The Power to Choose Greatness and Make Everyday Victorious is a #1 Business Best-Seller. The highly anticipated release of Leave YOUR Legacy will be in March of 2015. He is also the author of YOUR Mental Toughness Playbook, Fight the Good Fight, Pocket Truths for Success & Pocket Principles for the Insurance Business. In addition, Ben was a co-author of the recently released “Napoleon Hill’s 17 Principles of Success.” Ben lives in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri with the true measure of his success, his wife, Ami, and their children, J. Isaac and Kennedy Rose. Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

David Resseguie ​ Chief Shepherding Officer Dave Resseguie began his career in the financial services industry in August of 2007. He spent 10 years working in leadership roles within both Northwestern Mutual & MassMutual agencies in Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, & Miami. He specialized these roles in coaching leadership teams and top-performing financial advisors. In April of 2011, Dave began what many refer to as a “side hustle.” As Chief Shepherd of The Resseguie Group , Dave works virtually and in-person, with leadership teams & entrepreneurs as they lead themselves, lead others, & lead their businesses. The Resseguie Group serves others in the following focus areas: Keynote Speaker New Advisor Training One on One Coaching Dave attended the Moody Bible Institute receiving a bachelor’s degree, double majoring in both Bible & Youth Ministry. Dave serves on the board of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for the South Atlantic region. He is married to Gennifer. They live in Coral Springs, Florida with their 7 year old daughter, Charli, their 4 1/2 year old son, Chaz, and their almost 2 year old son, Cameron. The Resseguie’s are huge New York Mets fans! Previous Speaker Go back to Speaker Network Next Speaker

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Having a strong organizational culture enables you to hire, conduct business and attract clients in a consistent way that aligns with your overall values. With the fast pace of technological change today, a training culture can give you a competitive advantage when it comes to recruiting and retaining the best talent. Imagine that a quality candidate is considering your organization and another one, but you offer continuous training as a benefit. That will normally make the candidate’s choice simple and obvious. Investing in training for everyone in your organization shows them that you value their professional development and advancement potential. According to Arie de Geus, head of Shell Oil Company’s Strategic Planning Group and a visiting professor at London Business School, a learning culture is not only a strong source of sustainable competitive advantage; it is a critical corporate asset. He says, “Learning is the only source of sustainable competitive advantage.” Instead of investing in training once in a while — when someone requests it or when compliance requires it — make training a key element of your company’s or firm’s makeup. So how do you build training into your culture in such a significant way that it defines your organization? Here are some tips to get started. Survey everyone in your organization to find out what types of training they want to take. What skills do they want to improve, and what type of training do they prefer — online courses, webinars, on-site classes or off-site classes? Offer training to everyone. Instead of focusing only on advisors, for example, offer training to managers and support staff as well. Hire a training manager. Or assign the job of assessing, scheduling and evaluating training to one of your existing team members. This will show the people in your organization that you are committed to making training an integral part of your culture. Establish a mentoring program. Have your senior advisors mentor newer advisors and offer jointwork arrangements. Consider participating in the MDRT/GAMA International Mentoring Program. Create a coaching program. Coach everyone. Many managers make the mistake of focusing their coaching efforts on the rookies or poor performers. Offer coaching to your top performers. They will value the extra guidance on top-level issues, and it’s important to keep them happy. Leverage the expertise of your own people. Build a company e-learning program that enables your more experienced team members to share their expertise with newer employees. Let them be the subject-matter experts who provide some of the training, and reward them for doing so. Offer training in both “hard” and “soft” skills. Some of your team members need training in skillbased areas, while others probably need training in “soft” skills like negotiation, resolving conflicts and being more customer-focused. Attach specific goals to the training. Ask every team member what he or she hopes to gain from the training and how it can also benefit the organization. After the training, have your managers find out to what extent the training lived up to those expectations. This will help you evaluate the ROI. Communicate and celebrate training outcomes. If a training program was at least partially responsible for a team member being promoted, let everyone in the organization know about it. This is an effective way to reinforce the connection between the training you offer and the advancement of those who take the training. Measure the effectiveness of your training program. Consider using a feedback app, which can contain different sets of several questions for different situations. You can repeat the questions at various intervals to create a trend analysis. Use a SharePoint-based intranet to help employees track the progress they make in implementing improvements. Building a training culture requires an ongoing commitment and strategy. Unfortunately, too many agencies, firms and companies have a set-it-and-forget- it formula, which does not move the needle in the proper direction. The rewards of establishing a training culture will help turn each of your top goals and objectives into reality, in increased productivity, expanded markets, recruitment and ultimately retention. An Effective Training Platform for Managers and Advisors An effective resource for training financial advisors is Hoopis Performance Network, which features online, on-demand, total video-based training built on four Disciplines of Success with access to more than 400 sessions. The coursework can be either self-study or facilitator-led, and it complements any firm, agency or company training programs and marketing selling systems. Your advisors can access the video training anytime, anywhere, on their computers, smartphones, or tablets. It’s a cost-effective, time-efficient way to increase productivity, thus retention. An effective resource for training new or experienced sales leaders is HPN, an innovative virtual platform designed for financial leaders who are building a region, an agency or firm, a sales unit, or a sales team. You can get access to hundreds of high-impact sessions for all levels of experience, divided into five distinct elements of success. These sessions are short and easily digestible, averaging less than 10 minutes. Your managers can access the video training anytime, anywhere, on their computers, smartphones, or tablets. 10 Tips for Building a Training Culture

Next Item Previous Item Go back to White Papers List Introduction With more and more agencies and firms working virtually, many leaders are bringing new financial services professionals on board whom they have never met in person. Given the significant relationship-building focus of the profession, some leaders are asking if it’s possible to successfully launch new agents and advisors in a virtual world. The answer from many of the experienced leaders we spoke with is a resounding, “Yes!” Bringing new people on board in a remote environment is not without its challenges, however. Developing a sense of camaraderie and belonging may be difficult for new financial services professionals who cannot meet the rest of the team in person and building a client-base virtually can feel more than a little daunting. The onboarding process you use can make all the difference to the success of your new agents and advisors. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that people who have a positive onboarding experience are 69% more likely to stay with a company longer than those who do not. To see how leaders in financial services have adapted their onboarding processes for a remote field force, we spoke with 15 experienced agency and firm leaders from 10 different companies. Some of these leaders have been leading remote teams for several years, others adapted their processes with the onset of the 2020 pandemic. All have proven track records for launching, developing, and retaining top performers. Leaders in our study have implemented a structured approach to onboarding focused on three key areas: Training and developing new financial services professionals. Providing business support. Creating connections with the culture and the team. Key Take-Aways for Leaders Develop a structured process for onboarding new agents and advisors virtually. Include training in remote-work tools and skills in your development programs. Leverage virtual platforms to create opportunities for new financial services professionals to learn from senior professionals they wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to meet. Check-in with new financial services professionals frequently. Discuss remote-work policies, security procedures, and expectations (regarding availability and meeting attendance, for example) with new financial services professionals. Create opportunities to connect new financial services professionals with the rest of the team professionally and socially. Training and Developing New Financial Services Professionals Training and development programs have not changed significantly in the virtual environment. What financial professionals need to know remains the same; how they are learning it has changed. Field leaders and training facilitators are taking full advantage of their virtual platforms to keep new financial services professionals engaged in the learning process. For example, they use: Break-out rooms for trainees to practice scripts and role-play in small groups. The chat function to gather questions and then adjust presentations on-the-fly to answer the questions during the training session. Polls to generate discussion and quiz trainees on different topics during training sessions. One skill that has been added to many training programs is teaching new agents and advisors how to run virtual client meetings. Trainees learn how to use the virtual platform, how to present illustrations, and how to keep clients engaged during the meeting. It’s important to keep track of individual participation during virtual training sessions so you can check in with people who aren’t participating. Some facilitators keep a list of participants in front of them and place a checkmark by a person’s name each time he or she participates. That way the facilitator can draw out people who are not participating or check in with them after class to address any concerns. Peer-Accountability Groups and Study Groups Peer-accountability groups such as client-builder and sales-builder programs are still an important part of the development process. In addition to keeping new financial services professionals focused on revenue generating activities, these peer-to-peer learning opportunities create a strong sense of camaraderie and support. Some leaders have set up study groups using prerecorded presentations or guest speakers. Teams listen to the presentation as a group and then discuss what they learned and how they plan to implement their ideas. Leaders are also taking advantage of self-directed training programs where trainees learn on their own time—by reading articles or watching videos, for example—and then meet virtually to discuss what they’ve learned. These collaborative-learning programs teach more than business skills. The peer-to-peer learning that occurs through study groups, client-builder, and sales-builder programs has been shown to develop higher-level thinking skills, stronger communication skills, better self-management, and leadership skills. Joint Work and Mentoring Many training and development programs include connecting new and experienced agents and advisors through joint work and mentoring programs. Some leaders hold weekly virtual seminars where experienced agents and advisors share their best practices with newer professionals. Others include virtual one-onone meetings between new and experienced financial services professionals as part of their development program. Working virtually has increased the effectiveness of many of these programs. One leader told us, “We used to fly new advisors around the country to meet with different senior advisors. Now it all happens virtually. It means the new advisor can learn from more people than ever before, and it is much more costeffective for us.” For many agencies and firms, joint work is flourishing in the new virtual environment. New financial services professionals have access to experienced agents and advisors from across the country, people whom they might never have had access to before. Some organizations have formal joint-work programs where joint-work teams are assigned; others let relationships develop organically. Some leaders have new agents and advisors work with several experienced financial services professionals to gain different perspectives on how to approach clients and run meetings. Whether the joint-work program is formal or informal, preparation and practice are vital. “You have to know when one person’s going to speak and when they’re going to pass the baton,” one experienced leader explains. “You don’t want to trip over each other during the meeting.” Successful joint-work teams spend time before client meetings reviewing the agenda and defining their roles during the meeting, including who will speak when, who will collect presentation materials and put them in the correct order for the meeting, and who will manage the virtual presentation. One leader in our study decided to become an expert on running Zoom meetings. “I’m their co-pilot during client meetings,” she says. “They don’t have to worry about the technology.” Over time, agents in her organization have developed skills in virtual presenting, but she is always available to help when needed. The debrief after a virtual meeting is as important as the preparation before. New financial services professionals review what they have learned and discuss how to improve future meetings. This is also the time to identify follow-up roles and responsibilities. Leading Remote Teams While not the topic of this study, it’s important to note that leaders should also develop skills to lead in a virtual environment. Listening and observation skills become even more important when leading remote teams. Maintaining high energy and a positive attitude is vital for keeping people engaged during difficult times. As one leader told us, “You need to always be on. People are looking to you to see how they should react to these changes.” Flexjobs.com, a site focused on remote work, identifies the following leadership skills required for managing remote teams: Developing and maintaining trust. Facilitating virtual meetings. Tracking progress and managing accountability. Communicating via email. Maintaining work-life balance (for yourself and your team). Providing Business Support The business support that organizations provide new financial services professionals plays a major role in their long-term success. Joint-work and mentoring programs are part of that support, but leaders have also adapted other processes to support new agents and advisors in a virtual environment. They schedule virtual group call-a-thons and virtual client seminars to help new financial services professionals develop prospects, for example. Business-Building Support Some organizations hold activity-based contests and team new financial services professionals with experienced agents and advisors. Leaders team new agents and advisors with experienced professionals from different parts of the country to allow them to work with people they wouldn’t normally get a chance to meet. One large firm has implemented a business building contest that also helps new financial services professionals gain a passion for the business. The contest is based on the theme of “people helping people.” The goal is to insure 40 lives in the first six months and 100 lives in the first 12 months. The face value of the contract doesn’t matter. The contest is focused entirely on helping people get the insurance they need. This contest helps to launch new financial services professionals successfully and instills in them a passion for the work they do. Leaders in this firm have found that new financial services professionals who attain these two goals in their first year have higher retention rates than those who do not. Expectations and Accountability Clear expectations and regular feedback are still the foundation of successful onboarding. And, in the virtual environment, leaders have significantly increased the frequency of their communications with new agents and advisors. These include daily huddles and weekly meetings with the entire team as well as weekly group calls with new financial services professionals and weekly, sometimes daily, individual calls. In one organization in our study, new financial services professionals participate in weekly meetings with their sales manager and another meeting with the firm leader. Another organization assigns senior advisors as mentors. New advisors have individual weekly meetings with their mentor, participate in weekly team meetings, and meet individually with leaders on the professional development team twice a week. Many experienced leaders document expectations for their new financial services professionals. One experienced multi-line leader we spoke with provides her new agents with an operations manual that clearly defines their role, the sales process, and performance expectations. Another leader has defined expectations for each week of the first four months of the career. He sends weekly emails that identify the training and activity expectations for that week. The leader then uses these emails in his coaching sessions with new financial services professionals. Virtual coaching conversations with new financial services professionals haven’t changed, but many leaders say they are paying more attention to body language and listening carefully for warning signs that a new agent or advisor is heading off track and may need extra support. And, of course, leaders continue to work with new financial services professionals to develop their business and marketing plans, now with a focus on how they will grow the business through virtual interactions. The virtual environment also allows leaders to establish review committees comprised of experienced agents and advisors from across the country. So, once again, new financial services professionals are connecting with and getting advice from people they might not have had an opportunity to meet in the past. Remote Work Tools and Resources An important part of the onboarding process is providing new financial services professionals with the resources and tools they need to succeed. Many organizations have added training in using remote work tools such as Zoom, Adobe Connect, and Microsoft Teams to their onboarding programs. In addition to providing virtual platform training, leaders should also share their remote work policies, security procedures, and expectations (such as availability and meeting attendance, for example) with new financial services professionals. Creating Connections Developing business-building skills is only part of a successful onboarding process. For retention and long-term success, new financial services professionals must feel like part of the team and be engaged in agency or firm activities. In addition to arranging meetings between new and experienced financial services professionals, field leaders use several different strategies to get new agents and advisors involved with the team and the culture. Use Virtual and Social Media Platforms to Develop Camaraderie within the Team In one large firm, new financial services professionals meet the CEO, department heads, and the entire leadership team on their first day of orientation. This sends the message from day one that the leadership team is committed to their success. Leaders have increased the number of touchpoints with new financial services professionals. Regular and frequent check-ins help new team members feel connected to the rest of the team even though they aren’t meeting in person. Current team members can send emails, write notes, or call new team members to welcome them to the team. Some organizations create welcome videos. Many use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Slack to welcome new team members and to keep them engaged in the culture. Some leaders send welcome packets to new team members’ homes. To create a sense of belonging, make sure the whole leadership team is checking-in with new agents and advisors regularly. And create opportunities for new and experienced financial services professionals to interact both professionally and socially. Many leaders include fun activities, such as trivia games, in their meetings to develop camaraderie within the team. Virtual happy hours have become a regular occurrence in many organizations, and some leaders have started hosting virtual coffee hours. It’s important for remote workers to feel included in team activities. Even simple gestures such as sending gift cards so remote participants in training classes can purchase lunch can make a big difference. Onboard in Groups to Create a Sense of Belonging Working remotely can lead to feeling isolated, especially for new team members who haven’t developed relationships with the rest of the team yet. In a 2019 Gallup poll, 21% of remote workers reported feelings of loneliness and isolation. Onboarding in groups can create an immediate sense of belonging for new financial services professionals. If you are unable to onboard in groups, consider inviting all people who started in the past 3 months to a group onboarding session. One leading firm emphasizes to new financial services professionals that the people they are meeting in their training programs are the classmates they will be going through the same experiences with for the next four years. Another leader at a successful multiline agency told us, “It creates a feeling of ‘We’re all in this together,’ among the team. New agents started reaching out to each other on their own to help and support each other.” The Challenges of Virtual Onboarding Despite the success leaders are having onboarding new financial services professionals, there are challenges. Testing sites in many states are closed or back-logged and new agents and advisors are unable to obtain their licenses. “There’s a timing issue between when advisors are studying for exams and when they can take exams,” one leader told us. “You have to factor that into the process.” People are also starting to feel what one leader labeled Zoom fatigue. “You need to keep it fresh all the time. It takes more time to prepare for meetings because you have to think of new ways to keep them fresh and engaging.” A few leaders confirmed that productivity is down. One leader noted that overall productivity was down 11%, with new advisor productivity down 45%. Another said they have one-half the number of applications compared to last year, but 90% of the revenue. “What that tells me is that established advisors are doing fine. They bring in the larger cases. Newer advisors are struggling.” Still, the leaders we spoke with in our research remain optimistic as they navigate this new virtual environment. Many are having record recruiting years and are excited about the quality of recruits they are bringing on board. They have adapted their onboarding processes to adjust to a virtual work environment and are making adjustments as they go. “Nothing is permanent,” one leader told us, “We try something and if it doesn’t work, we pivot and try something else.” Conclusion Whether it is virtual or in person, the fundamentals of a successful launch haven’t changed. New financial services professionals need development opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills required to build a business. They need support from agency and firm leaders, and they need to feel connected to a team that is providing a meaningful service to its clients. While almost everyone prefers working in person, most leaders agree that the new virtual work environment offers unexpected benefits. With no geographic boundaries, new financial services professionals can receive support, mentoring, and advice from their peers around the country, and they have more opportunities to expand their business and partner with new people. While most leaders are looking forward to conducting business in person once again, they have also realized that the benefits of remote work are too important to ignore. “There’s a new paradigm,” one leader told us. “People coming into the business today have opportunities they never had before.” Did You Know? 69% Employees who are more likely to stay with a company longer if they have a great onboarding experience. 74% Companies that expect some of their employees to continue remote work after the pandemic ends. 60-64% US workforce that regularly works from home as of May 2020 59% Employees who want to continue remote work after 2020 pandemic ends. 7% US workforce that regularly worked from home before March 2020. 54% Employees who are willing to quit their current job for one that allows them to work remotely. Zojceska, A. (2020, May 18). COVID-19 & Work From Home Stats: Is Remote Work Here to Stay? Virtual Onboarding