Enhancing Engagement and Communication at SelectQuote

Where They Started

Prior to the implementation of The SQuare, SelectQuote struggled with fragmented communication. Associates frequently felt overwhelmed by a plethora of unread emails, leading to important announcements getting lost in the shuffle. Feedback from associate surveys indicated that many felt disconnected from the company and uninformed about key events, initiatives and announcements. Associates expressed frustration about missing company gatherings or not knowing about important resources. Such feelings of isolation, if left unchecked, could severely undermine workplace morale and productivity.

Compounding these communication challenges was SelectQuote’s geographically dispersed workforce. With associates spread across various regions – including remote, hybrid and in-office workers – maintaining effective and consistent communication became an even greater challenge. The absence of robust, easily accessible communication channels meant that associates in different locations were often operating in silos, further hindering collaboration and team cohesion.

“Prior to launching the Square, we had several different forms of communication. There was a lot of just information in multiple different places, and that wasn't quite organized.”

- Hiliary Miller, Manager, Culture and Wellness

The SQuare Streamlines Company-Wide Communication

To tackle these challenges, SelectQuote worked with Reward Gateway | Edenred to build out The SQuare, a one-stop shop for communication, recognition, discounts and wellbeing resources. Thier platform was designed as a centralized hub for all associate-related information. By consolidating communications into a single place, associates could quickly access the resources, updates and news they needed without navigating through multiple disjointed sources.

Hiliary Miller, SelectQuote’s manager of culture and wellness, focused first on making company-wide communication consistent and predictable. Each day of the week was assigned a specific theme, such as:

• Motivational Monday: A focus on encouragement and inspiration with insights into themes that support the SelectQuote values (e.g., Empathy, Teamwork, etc.)
• Talent Tuesday: Highlights of recruitment, associate development opportunities, and insights into team efforts.
• Wellness Wednesday: Resources and tips regarding mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.
• Transformation Thursday: Insights from the talent management team concerning professional growth and organizational shifts. These posts often connect with the values-based theme expressed on Monday.
• Fun Friday: A celebration of achievements, birthdays, and other milestones across the company.

This strategy allows the communications team to prepare in advance – at the time of this writing they had 18 posts queued up for later release – and allows associates to trust they will get the information they need when they need it.

Once this initial structure was established, SelectQuote implemented feedback mechanisms to continuously gauge associate interests and preferences. Through regular surveys and brainstorming sessions, the organization's leadership collected insights about what associates wanted and needed in terms of communication. This feedback was invaluable in tailoring the content available on The SQuare, ensuring it met the unique needs of the workforce.

Division-Specific Hubs Allow for Personalization

While company-wide content is important for building connection and community, in many cases, the more immediate communication needs are specific to an associate’s division.

The SQuare was built out to allow key divisions to have areas they can post the most relevant information for their teams – photos & events, town hall videos, messages from their divisional leadership and virtual “suggestion boxes” that allow associates to provide direct feedback to their leadership.

For example, the Life & Health Advisors (LHA) division highlights their unique mission, their history and the associates that have been in their division since its inception, information on ways to grow your career and blogs with LHA-specific business and people news. Meanwhile, the Auto & Home division has product updates, sales contest results and peer-to-peer recognition as the top highlights on their page.

“We wanted to ensure that the information is being shared broadly. The SQuare is where information found for both work level and then division-wide. The whole point of this was to simplify where communication is going to be, where information is going to land.”

- Hiliary Miller, Manager, Culture and Wellness

Leadership’s Role in Engagement Initiatives

SelectQuote's leadership is made more visible to the distributed workforce when they post or comment on The SQuare. The CEO and other executives can post messages reinforcing important company values and emphasizing the relevance of initiatives happening across the organization.

This visible participation from leadership fosters trust and transparency, essential elements in any high-performing culture.

Additionally, associates’ ability to comment on leadership posts helps leaders to be in direct communication with the front lines and know how messages are landing with associates.

Recognition that Connects and Appreciates

While sharing business updates is one advantage of the company-wide and divisional communication structures, a core element of building community within SelectQuote involves recognizing individual achievements and milestones. Regular communication through The SQuare allows the communications team to tag associates whose contributions have make a big difference to larger initiatives.

Also, associates have the opportunity to individually send eCards to colleagues acknowledging their efforts via value-based eCards and to celebrate personal milestones, such as birthdays and work anniversaries. The program is also set up to allow associates above and beyond actions to receive rewards from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars.

The SQuare is set up so associates can redeem these rewards through an integration with Amazon.com, for SelectQuote swag, as a donation to a charity of their choice or as a gift card to hundreds of retailers. This ability to personalize rewards is especially important given the diversity and distribution of the workforce and prevents managers from struggling to think of the perfect gift. This recognition not only strengthens individuals' connections to their coworkers but also instills a sense of belonging and pride in the workplace.

“When we highlight our different associates, they get tagged in the communication, and that gets sent to everybody in the company!”

- Hiliary Miller, Manager, Culture and Wellness

Building Community Across the Nation

To foster engagement and camaraderie, SelectQuote frequently uses The SQuare to highlight themed competitions and wellness challenges. For example, costume contests held during holidays encourage friendly rivalry and boost morale. Associates can showcase their creativity, while prizes and recognition for participation help reinforce a positive, spirited work culture.

In addition to internal activities, SelectQuote emphasizes community engagement. Team volunteer days or involvement with local charities allow associates to connect outside of work and can be promoted and celebrated for all associates. This shared purpose not only unifies teams but also establishes a sense of pride in contributing positively to the broader community.