Tina Higgins, head of claims development at Axa Commercial, discusses her firm’s entry to the Excellence in Professional Development category
1. Why did you put yourselves forward for this category?
We wanted to highlight our innovative, tailored approach to onboarding generation Z colleagues in our motor claims team through our grad bay programme.
Recognising the unique needs of this demographic, we worked closely with our operational colleagues and together, redesigned the onboarding journey to focus on building confidence, communication and problem-solving skills.
Our goal was to create a supportive, engaging learning environment that drives measurable improvements in operational performance, customer satisfaction and employee retention.
We believe this programme exemplifies best practice in professional development, making it a strong candidate for recognition.
2. What makes your entry stand out, and why should you win the award?
Our entry stands out because of the comprehensive, personalised and innovative nature of the grad bay programme.
We have moved away from traditional onboarding – integrating AI-driven coaching, tailored learning assessments and real-world simulations to develop core skills and confidence. The programme’s impact is evident through a 71% increase in retention, a 40% reduction in complaints and improved customer satisfaction scores.
These tangible results demonstrate our commitment to transforming onboarding into a strategic, capability-building experience.
Winning would acknowledge our leadership in pioneering a developmental approach that benefits colleagues, customers and Axa as a whole.
3. What would winning this award mean to you and your firm?
Winning this award would recognise our dedication in commercial claims to innovatively develop our talent and to deliver measurable business and customer outcomes.
For Axa, it would reinforce our position as a leader in professional development, motivating us to further innovate and inspire confidence among our teams, partners and customers that we are committed to delivering excellence through people.
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