Cathy Carroll

This week’s headlines about UK sick days gave me pause.   The latest data from CIPD paints a stark picture: UK sick days are reportedly at their highest level in 15 years, with the average employee missing nearly two weeks of work each year due to illness or mental health challenges.    Behind these statistics are real people, real families, and real businesses feeling the strain. The reasons are complex: an ageing workforce, rising long-term health conditions, and the growing impact of poor mental health.   At Vitality, our own insight from Britain’s Healthiest Workplace echoes this trend. Over the past decade, we’ve seen a steady rise in depression, anxiety, and burnout among UK employees.    There is, however, much we can do – and good reason to do it. Our own incentive-based behaviour change programme continues to show that prioritising employee health delivers tangible outcomes: from better mental wellbeing and higher job satisfaction to a stronger sense of support at work.   This is an important moment. As the country debates how to balance workers’ rights with business sustainability, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture: empowering people to live healthier, more productive lives, and enabling businesses to thrive in the long term. https://lnkd.in/ejvH7FxU #Wellbeing #Prevention #WorkplaceHealth

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How to structure your CV Lots of conversations again recently with my insurance change / transformation network about how to structure their CVs. . Here's a reminder of what I advise: ➡️ Opening paragraph: Say what you do. Say what you want. If you’re working on exams or qualifications, mention it. Then stop. The longer you ramble, the less chance anyone will read it. ➡️ Don’t paste your job description: That only tells me what you were meant to do, not what you did. Show me what you delivered, what value it added, and which stakeholders you worked with (C-suite, underwriters, claims, third-party vendors?). ➡️ Make it easy to read: Clear, concise, use bullet points ➡️ Keep it short: Your last role is what matters. That requires the most detail. The further back you go, the less anyone will read. Ideally two to three pages max. ➡️ Tailor it: If a role requires “claims project experience,” make sure that phrase jumps off the page (assuming you have it). If you’re working with a recruiter, ask them what the client really cares about, then highlight that. ➡️ Quality over quantity: A few tailored applications will have a lot more impact than sending 100 generic CVs. Be selective. ➡️ LinkedIn: Just as important as your CV. Your profile should be a slimmed down version but make sure it’s aligned. Then be visible, build your network, engage with people. I see plenty of candidates secure roles though their own networks (not recruiters), so nurture your network as much as you can. #CV #insurancejobs #insurance #transformation #businessanalyst #projectmanager #programmemanager #londonmarket #lloydsoflondon

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Leadership Insights for the Insurance Boardroom - Insure NED Search – latest industry insight Transitioning to a Non-Executive Director Insurance Role – Adrian Saunders Having worked within the Insurance sector for over 40 years, positions included Commercial Director Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, Head of UK Affinity Solutions Marsh and Managing Director Strategic Partnerships Zurich Financial Services, Adrian made the transition to building a NED portfolio Questions include: What attracted you into taking on NED roles How did you decide which opportunities to pursue What was the biggest learning curve What do you see as the main differences between a full-time position and an NED role What do you enjoy most about NED responsibilities What advice would you give to someone looking to build a NED portfolio In your experience how does the responsibility of NEDs vary Read the full article 👉 https://lnkd.in/enVXRcc5 #NEDappointments #Chairappointments #Advisoryboard #MGA #Insurance

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Why Are Insurance Finance Transformation Projects Being Temporarily Paused? Over the past few months, we’ve seen a noticeable shift in the insurance finance transformation market. Many organisations that were full steam ahead on ambitious change programs are now hitting the brakes — not because transformation is off the table, but because strategy is back in focus. Before committing to multi-year transformation initiatives, CFOs and finance leaders are taking a step back to redefine their strategy, re-evaluate the business case, and ensure that transformation is truly aligned with the future direction of the organisation. There are some excellent interim candidates I know looking for their next assignment (would normally be off the market in days). Here’s what we’re hearing: “We need to be sure our operating model supports where the business is heading.” “AI and automation are moving fast – are we solving yesterday’s problems?” “We’ve grown quickly through M&A – let’s get the foundations right before we transform.” The focus is shifting from execution to intentional design – rethinking what the finance function should look like, not just how to optimise what exists. Yes, there may be a temporary pause. But when these projects restart, they’ll be sharper, more strategic, and better aligned to real business outcomes. If you're seeing the same shift in your organisation or with your clients, I'd love to hear your perspective. #FinanceTransformation #CFOAgenda #StrategyFirst #DigitalFinance #ChangeManagement #FinanceLeadership

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The first episode of our new ‘Ask the Specialist’ series is here.   In this film, Jeni Holdcroft-Young puts some of your most common Commercial Motor FAQs to underwriter Morgan Cadogan Cert CII - giving brokers direct access to the people making the decisions.   📌 Watch now - and keep an eye out for more films in the series soon. 💬 Comment below with any questions you’d like our underwriters to tackle next.   #askthespecialist #trustthespecialist #expertunderwriters #brokerfaqs #commercialmotor

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