As I look back on the last year, and perhaps a bit further, it’s hard to overstate how much has changed in the world surrounding workers compensation. I could spend this entire letter reflecting on changes to work, workplaces, and the many dynamics of a pandemic that has impacted everyone on the planet.
Instead, I choose to reflect on certain lessons we’ve learned, with a lens on how we use those lessons to be better prepared for our future. Here are a few of my favorites:
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Ask why not? Challenging the status quo can be frightening, but unless we do, we will never know what is possible. COVID forced us to think outside of the box and, as a result, accelerated countless solutions we can leverage going forward.
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Embrace virtual. I appreciate the value of face-to-face relationships; they’re irreplaceable. But virtual meetings and events allow us to do even more interacting in less time and at a fraction of the cost. There is a balance to be struck between in-person and on-screen interaction.
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People love flexibility. In both their jobs and in their personal lives. It sounds obvious, but never before has a person’s ability to shape their daily routine been such a determining factor on where they want to work, what products they buy, and what services they use.
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Old institutions can bring new value. Even a 100-year-old industry like workers compensation can bring new and timely solutions when workers need it most. Since 2020, pandemic conditions required unique responses from industry providers that stepped up with integrity and ingenuity.
Nelson Mandela said, “It is in the character of growth that we should learn from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences.” This growth is the silver lining of our COVID-19 experience.
At NCCI, our growth has made us a stronger company, a more flexible employer, and a more resilient supporter of the workers compensation industry. I’m proud to say that in 2021 we met our commitments to stakeholders despite all that was thrown our way.
Furthermore, we’ve set a strategic course forward to elevate what we do through innovative thinking. We recognize that rapidly changing technology, ever-expanding data, and evolving customer needs require us to think differently than we have in the past. We see this as part of our mission to foster a
healthy workers compensation system.
Learning from our past and innovating for the future—this is the path we are on at NCCI. And we do so with a culture that emphasizes respect for one another and a passion to make our community a more inclusive and equitable place to live.
Here’s to a bright future.
Bill Donnell
President and CEO
2021 Delivering on Commitments Video
