Empower and collaborate

We empower and enable our people to make decisions and drive performance. In a global company such as Swiss Re, employees need to collaborate across the organisation and different geographies. In this context, our employees tell us that our Own the Way You Work programme makes a noticeable difference. We also have high hopes that applying agile methods will further improve the way we can empower our people and enable them to collaborate even more.

Owning the way we work

Our trademarked programme Own the Way You Work is a cultural initiative which gives our managers and employees autonomy to decide how, when and where they carry out work, in compliance with the applicable laws, rules and regulations of their particular region. Coupled with cutting-edge technology and flexible workplace solutions, the programme shapes an ambitious and creative company culture, where everyone can perform at their best.

Experimenting with agile methods

Swiss Re has been an early mover with regard to agile working methods and created cross-functional teams by market and for key clients many years ago, bringing together roles like client management, underwriting, claims handling and technical accounting to deliver value to our clients as one. Recently, further units have started to implement agile organisational structures, removing traditional hierarchies and experimenting with agile methods (eg Scrum). We expect these units to have a role model effect for others.