Sun Life Financial has been on a continuous drive to further revitalise its financial planning workforce: the company has launched an innovative recruitment and nurturing platform for new talent and enriched its unique agency leader development programme.
Sun Life’s newly introduced “BrighterGen Academy” is a fast-track career development programme tailor-made for young talent. It selects those who are committed to success and ready to step out of their comfort zone to build a career in which they are in complete control of their earnings and work schedules. For every new joiner with a firm will to help clients and who aims for Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), the academy provides full and customised support to assist them in achieving their goals.
Belinda Au, General Manager, Distribution and Marketing at Sun Life Hong Kong, says that new features in the platform specifically designed for Gen-Y help them build a sense of achievement within a short time. “They include the Sales Mastery All-rounded Training (SMART) Program that equips them with key skills quickly. Young talent can also introduce our market-leading MPF product to clients. Academy helps new joiners build confidence and it instils a sense of pride. The holistic support is aimed at helping new recruits to achieve MDRT within one year.”
Be Success in BrighterGen Academy
Successful candidates will become Executive Business Management Associate (EBMA). They will receive tailor-made training to facilitate their career development and gain solid financial planning knowledge and soft skills to provide professional services to their clients. Training in the use of Sun Life’s digital tools and a tablet will be available to all EMBAs so that they can provide comprehensive financial services and advice to clients. EBMAs will also receive coaching and facilitation from their mentors, all of whom are experienced professionals. Those EBMAs who meet the promotion requirements will advance within two years to Unit Manager, Manager, or Financial Planner through a fast-track career path.
Sun Life welcomes application from energetic people who are degree holders and have more than two years’ full-time working experience. “They should each have a three-year business plan with details of specific goals. Shortlisted candidates will attend panel interviews for us to gauge their commitment. They should have a clear understanding of their potentials in financial planning industry,” Au says.
Sun Life provides a comprehensive range of individual insurance and wealth products, including MPF, savings and life protection. For over a century, the company has continued to operate with the same values that people have come to trust: honesty, integrity, knowledge, and humanity. Its “Client for Life” initiative is a distinctive feature across all its products and services. The initiative focuses on clients’ perspectives, stressing such components as making it easy to do business with the company; delivering outcomes that matter to clients; embedding “Client for Life” core values within the corporate culture; digitising current business processes and models; and using data and analytics to identify untapped potential, Au says. “Our mission is to help our clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. We aim to achieve distribution excellence, diverse and comprehensive services and outstanding, deeply caring customer service.”
SEED – A Unique Development Program for Agency Leaders
Meanwhile, the company has further enhanced the innovative development programme for its seasoned agency leaders. SunElite Executive Directors (SEED) Programme is a unique agency leader development initiative. It aims to provide comprehensive support for senior managers to help them retain young talent and achieve long-term sustainable business growth together, Au says. “The programme help adjust their mindset so that they can effectively manage a growing team and learn about the key skills to mentor and nurture the young talent.”
Pursue for Excellence
SEED aims to accelerate the career paths of potential leaders, who are district or regional directors, to become agency directors within three years. This journey usually takes more than nine years. Sun Life deploys reports and data to conduct in-depth analysis of the districts for the directors. The directors will receive intensive coaching and mentoring by a SEED consultant team which will help the directors formulate business strategies and plan implementation. The directors can use the Brighter Gen Society platform to attract Gen-Y prospects. They will receive customised training programmes that cater for their individual needs and eligible to enrol targeted activities exclusively for SEED Districts. The directors will also work closely with dedicated consultants to follow through on their business plans.
Develop the Next Generation
Given increased corporate support, Sun Life’s district directors have become more effective in engaging Gen-Y team members. Among them, Brian Ng Ho-lun, District Director has built a team of 74 and around 90 per cent of the team members are Gen-Y. “I communicate with them as a peer and listen to their views and suggestions,” says Ng, who joined Sun Life in 2013. “I engage my team through organising regular social and sport activities for my team members and their clients so that they can interact in a less formal setting. I also set the overall goals for my team. When the goals are achieved, all my team members will share a great sense of achievement.”
Sarah Wong Mei-wah, District Director shares Ng’s sentiment. “It is vital for me to use Gen-Y language when communicating with them. I also align their goals and expectations with mine so that we all work hard to reach common goals,” Wong says. “I always encourage them by letting them know that this is a great opportunity for them to develop their own career so that they will put in the extra effort. To foster team spirit, the entire team will have dinners at different restaurants together to celebrate reaching the overall sales targets.”
Putting Client for Life into Action
Jason Chu Chao and Monic Guo Lan, both Gen-Y, are exemplary District Directors with remarkable dedication to their respective careers. Guo says she has sustained the enthusiasm for helping clients, thanks to her firm belief in the financial planning sector. “This career has changed me from an introvert to someone who is proactive in supporting my clients and team members. I have developed this caring relationship towards my clients. When I see them, I naturally open up and recommend solutions suitable for them. More than that, I also work hard and play hard with my young teammates.”
Chu recalls one episode in his career which gave him immense satisfaction. “I was at home because of a typhoon No. 10 when I received a phone call from the brother of a client last year. The client had been gravely injured in an accident and remained in critical condition after surgery at a public hospital,” says Chu, who joined Sun Life in 2013. “As the main breadwinner for his family, the client was in desperate need of financial aid. I sprung into action and helped the client to file a claim. The client has since been on the road to recovery with peace of mind.”
Strive for Professionalism
Kent Tai Wing-kin, District Director who joined the company as a fresh graduate, says he always reminds himself of his initial intention to provide protection to his clients whenever he encounters challenges. “Throughout my career so far, I have helped clients file for dozens of claims. Sun Life always processed the claims efficiently so that clients can obtain the money in a timely manner. This reinforces my confidence in the company.” As an example himself, he is dedicated to recruit Gen Y new joins.
Alison Leung Chau-ling, District Director is known of her professional team with different backgrounds and expertises. “My team deliver professional and quality services to our clients. We always get positive words of mouth from them. Many have taken their initiative in referring us to other potential clients,” adds Leung. “The referrals from clients are a main source of motivation for my team. They show that our clients recognise our efforts and professionalism.”
Winning Together – One Level Up
Young people aspiring to build a career in the financial planning sector should clearly identify their goals and set their mind on achieving them. It is vital that young team members listen to the ideas and follow the advice of their seniors. “They should work hard to keep pace with the progress of their team and strive to achieve the goals of the team together,” All SEED Directors add. One Level Up – a common goal shared by every SEED member in 2018. It signifies everyone gets promotion!
