Pros
The managers really do try to make it so if you have an appointment you can attend without it going against your attendance. The option to work 4 10's has been the best decision the company could have made. I feel with them making this as an option, they have listened to people's requests. That has provided more home time with your family. The options on benefits isn't too bad either. Having the option to work OT is nice if you want the extra cash. Having a schedule that is Monday through Friday and no later than 6pm makes it so you can get home, eat dinner and still have some down time before the next day. Having the holidays off is also a plus. Also, depending on the holiday fall date, you may get the day before off giving you a 4 day weekend. Most companies would make you have off the weekend, work Monday, then off the holiday. They have that day as a paid day off. I do feel the length of vacation that you accrue in a year is fair. A lot of places receive less. The new office location is much nicer and actually has warm water and so far temperature regulated and you dont freeze. The desks move and give you the option to stand.
Cons
Torrent used to be the place to work. No matter what team you were on, you not only felt like immediate family with your team but felt a part of the extended family with the rest of teams combined. Lately, we have moved processing to "team level" and the family aspect now feels like a family feud. There is no more helping out the team next to you because they are farther behind in a queue. It's now each team fend for themselves and do your own while keeping your head above water. The change in management is supposed to be beneficial. However, the changes that are happening are making it way harder for anyone to do their job. Not only are you rushed off at the end of your call to go help the next person, but there is no more personable contact with the agents. We are supposed to treat them as if they are our only client in the moment and now it's get off that policy and move on to the next. We are losing good relationships with clients and seeing far more escalations and having to deal with way more upset agents. We have an SOP to have the underwriter take contact on an escalation for a call back, email the manager the information. However, agents will call several more times because no call was made. We are taking on more and more companies and we do not have the coverage to assist all these companies. The mid and senior underwriters are drowning as they are the most well rounded for policies. They have to try and be on several chats, help the new people with questions all while trying to process so you can move numbers from the queues. People need to be hired months before we take on a new company so those people are well versed, ready, and feel the most confident. The requirements are becoming impossible to meet. You used to have atleast a minute or two between calls to work policies and now you do not see that as an option. We have been so focused on meeting SLA'S, it is as if having the queues caught up to date is no longer a priority. Now to the next item, they wait until most teams are drowning before making a call for mandatory OT. There is no set day like the same weekend every month that you can plan family time around your mandated OT. They spring it to you A week before. Its MANDATED so you have to cancel your plans unless you get an approval to make it up, which every manager handles those requests differently and its not the same rule all around. Working the mandated OT is not the issue, its the constant unknown. The work life balance is becoming non existent as we take on more companies and not enough experienced underwriters to keep us on top. The pay could be better as you are to get an anfi certification. Fast food and grocery stores associates are starting to make more.
