Prize for project with long-term unemployed
Giving the long-term unemployed a chance: Zurich Switzerland offers up to 20 people who are registered with the IV a special program for re-entry every year. The insurance company won the Customer Relations Award 2022 with this project.
The Customer Relations Award is presented every year by the specialist magazine «CMM360» awarded in cooperation with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts as an academic partner and has established itself as a cross-industry seal of quality for outstanding customer service. Last year won die Zurich, Switzerland Gold in the “Employee focus” category. The insurance company submitted the reintegration program for the long-term unemployed after an accident or illness.
Since spring 2022, Zurich Switzerland has focused on helping people who are not under pressure to perform and who do not have quantitative goals when they return to work. The program runs in exclusive cooperation with the Social Insurance Institution of the Canton of Zurich (SVA).
The SVA Zurich places Zurich people with a relevant profile for a reintegration attempt. The workload is gradually increased from 50 percent at the beginning to at least 80 percent. A job attempt usually lasts six months. However, it can also be postponed or extended earlier.
The challenge of reintegration into the labor market
Anyone who has been away from the labor market for a longer period of time finds it difficult to find a job again. The young woman, who was among the first to graduate from the Zurich Switzerland program to reintegrate the long-term unemployed, can tell you a thing or two about it.
For a long time there were no signs of such a development. On the contrary: They started studying at university. The conditions couldn’t be better. But then came the depression. She still manages to get her university degree, but not the entry into professional life. She became a disability insurance case.
In Switzerland, around 450,000 people receive IV benefits. Many of them suffer from birth defects. But there are also numerous people like young women who, after an illness or an accident, are no longer able to work for a certain period of time and can therefore hardly find their way back into everyday working life.
First participants permanently employed
According to Robert GremliHead of Brokers & Partnerships and member of the management of this Zurich Switzerland, the idea for the project came from the ranks of the assumption: “This shows that we all pull together and that we as an organization are aware of our social responsibility,” says eh.
Although the participants in the program are all in areas without actuarial knowledge, the support effort is high. Therefore, the offer is currently limited to 20 places per year. However, the commitment pays off – especially against the background of the shortage of skilled workers. According to Zurich, the first participants have already been employed on a permanent basis – including the young woman.
- You can find more information about Zurich Insurance here