Genworth Financial, Inc. and its subsidiary CareScout provide insurance, products and services that help with caregiving and long-term needs for the aging journey. Now making its fourth appearance on the list of Greater Richmond’s Top Workplaces, Genworth and CareScout have built successful businesses by helping both families and their own associates tackle challenges with confidence, said Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Melissa Hagerman.
Melissa Hagerman, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
What does career growth look like at your organization, and how do employees see a long-term future there?
When associates feel empowered and are given resources, support and time to learn new things and expand their knowledge, it keeps people feeling fresh and energized. We are in business to be a differentiator in the long-term care solutions space, and that requires us to be innovative as company. Over the last year or two, we’ve been focused on career mobility. One of our team members got certified in career mobility. That sends the message we are here to allow associates to explore different opportunities.
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What steps have you taken to promote employee well-being and prevent burnout?
Well-being is something that we talk about and have normalized over last year. We take the oxygen mask approach — we want people to make sure they’re taking care of themselves first so they can in turn take care of customers. It’s important to help people feel like they have space and purpose to build resiliency. We have an onsite mental health counselor, for example, and that’s been a tremendous asset. We make sure employees know that when they need a break, they can take a break.
As organizations refine hybrid and in-office expectations, how are you balancing flexibility with maintaining culture and collaboration?
In our Richmond office, we are in the office two days a week. The other days are hybrid days, so associates can come in if they want or work remotely. The really important thing we have found is that flexibility is the key. I use the word “trust” a lot. We trust that if people need to leave early or come in late, we know they are going to manage that and take care of customers at the same time.
How does being based in the Richmond region influence your workplace culture?
We’re a proud member of the Richmond community. When we have large meetings, there is very often a volunteer event tied to it. This year we are excited to announce that we are a founding partner of the new Richmond Flying Squirrels’ CarMax Park. We’re sponsoring the CareScout Power Tower for people who may not be able to climb stairs or who need assistance, and it also features a vertical LED display that will deliver game information and entertainment.
