Recently a friend at the Insurance Institute of America contacted me to ask for tips on how claim managers could incentivize claim adjusting staffs to pursue continuing education. The latter would include – but not be limited to – taking courses in the AIC (Associate in Claims) program, leading to the designation.

I don’t claim to have found THE key or solution, but I humbly offer seven tips on motivating adjusters to pursue continuing education:

#1 Make CE one component of annual performance appraisals. If you want it to get done, you have to measure it.

#2 Make CE pursuits one periodic (e.g. “coaching topic/opportunity” with reports). Repetition, repetition, rep .. Well, you get the idea.

#3 Publicly recognize and praise those who pursue AND COMPLETE continuing education.

#4. Enact/support corporate monetary rewards/incentives for CE program completion. $$$ is still a nice carrot, as is footing the bill to attend an annual conferment/convention event for employee and spouse.

#5. Provide a reasonable amount of time and reimbursement support for CE pursuit within the office.

#6. Offer CE classes or briefing sessions in-house, on Company time. Hey boss – roll up your sleeves and dust off those textbooks!

#7. Leadership by example – be involved in CE as a “boss” and make sure your reports know you value the activity!