Building Belonging in Insurance: A Dive In Festival Wrap-Up

This article explores inclusive leadership skills, empathy, and authenticity as key drivers of belonging in the insurance sector, offering practical takeaways to help organisations build inclusive cultures and empower diverse talent.

Last week, the Clear Company team took part in the annual Dive In festival – and what an event it was! Between delivering sessions ourselves and attending many more in the packed agenda, we all left the festival inspired and motivated to continue driving meaningful change and to build a sense of belonging in insurance. Perhaps more importantly, those we spoke to left with a range of learning objectives and actions for building belonging in their own organisations.

Here are some of our core takeaways from the 2025 festival.

1)      Authenticity and empathy are the central attribute to build belonging

In almost every session the team were involved in, two core elements were repeatedly discussed: authenticity and empathy. Creating a culture where everyone can thrive and a sense of belonging is truly felt isn’t something that can be designed or forced. It has to be truly authentic to have impact.  This means there may not be one definable company-wide culture, but rather sub-cultures aligned around the vision and values, where different views and ways of working are cultivated and nurtured, creating a more authentic atmosphere that people can relate to and feel like they belong in.

This, in turn, needs to be supplemented by an empathetic approach from leaders. That doesn’t require grand gestures or big changes, but rather the ability to make people feel seen, heard and supported.

2)      The value of lived experiences

Building on the point of empathy, what really stood out to us was just how powerful real-life examples are. Speakers throughout the event – including those involved in our own panel discussions – were completely transparent about their experiences. Almost everyone had an example of a time they lacked a sense of belonging in their career. While this isn’t desirable, it is valuable in building empathy in the workplace. The ability to turn negatives into positive change shouldn’t be underestimated, and we hope that the honesty that was expressed by speakers demonstrates to others that we are all human and we can be each other’s support network.

3)      Skills matter more than experience

Creating inclusion and building belonging in insurance requires a broader mindset in what makes a great employee. The sector is no longer tied to requiring previous industry experience – skills, including attributes such as resilience and agility, are now more important. Perhaps the most impactful demonstration of this was the graduates and apprentices who spoke in many of the events across the festival, capturing the room with their insights and views, despite being new to the industry.

4)      Allyship is important

It was also encouraging to hear a range of examples from people who had been positively influenced by – or have themselves been – an ally. For everyone in the insurance sector, regardless of their tenure, background or experience, allyship is valuable. Inclusion and a sense of belonging require us all to support and be supported. If you don’t yet have an ally in your business, look further afield in your network and lean on those people who will be there for you when you need them.

5)      Behaviour is more influential than knowledge

For today’s leaders in insurance, one of the biggest takeaways from Dive In should be that your colleagues aren’t looking to you for your knowledge, but rather your behaviours. They want to see you be consistently authentic, and that may mean making yourself more vulnerable in a positive way. They are relying on you not only to listen, but to act. They need to see that their opinions, insights and views matter, and that the business will take action. These everyday behaviours create a culture of belonging. 

Building belonging in insurance

Creating a sense of belonging and nurturing an inclusive culture in insurance starts with honest, meaningful and powerful conversations. This year’s Dive In festival gave us the platform for these discussions; watch this space for the actions.

Looking for support to drive true and authentic belonging in your business? Contact us today