Future of Work_Leadership Toolkit

FUTURE OF WORK

Leadership Toolkit Version 2 — Updated August 2021

CONTENTS 04

INTRODUCTION

06

FUTURE PANDEMIC READINESS

10

WHY RETURN TO WORK?

11

WHY STAY HOME?

12

GETTING BACK INTO THE HABITS OF SUCCESS

15

EVALUATING WHO RETURNS TO WORK

16

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

19

ABSENCE MANAGEMENT

20

ADDRESSING HESITANCY

22

BROWN & BROWN WORKFORCE MODELS

24

SELECTING THE RIGHT HYBRID WORKFORCE MODEL

26

OFFICE REAL ESTATE

28

TOOLKIT: TEMPLATES FOR LEADERS

F U T U R E O F WO R K INTRODUCTION This resource is part of an ongoing series that will deliver consult and guidance outlining how our company will anticipate and drive change impacting our people, processes, and the future of work.

Key to our ability to be future-ready is our commitment to building upon the experience and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown & Brown performed remarkably well through an unprecedented period of forced change to the world of work in 2020. Through it all, it has become clear we are emerging forever changed in several significant ways. How we lead teams must always be grounded in flexibility and prioritize the safety of our teammates. Operations that balance productivity and well-being are best equipped to respond to disruptions in the business environment. Challenges can create opportunities for efficiency gains and reductions in fixed real estate commitments.

Most importantly, our culture must remain constant—enhancing collaboration and meaningful interactions through physical workspace design, remote work technology, and well-trained leadership.

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Our Culture It has been said that a company’s culture is the collective beliefs and thousands of actions performed by its workforce in the course of conducting its daily business. Ours is a strong, performance-based culture grounded in integrity.

We thrive within an entrepreneurial meritocracy that provides long-term opportunities for talented leaders and teammates. We believe that by putting our customers first, things will always work out for our team.

help reinforce our Culture of Caring. Click here to

Our Culture of Caring shined bright in 2020, with offices across the company engaging in community involvement to support the communities we serve.

We believe that servant leadership helps build a better organization and our teammates’ dedication to our local communities exemplifies this fundamental pillar of our company culture. Teammates are encouraged to find a cause that truly inspires them and dedicate themselves to being part of the greater good. If your office is doing great work in your local community, share the news in an office spotlight, and

help our teammates and others experiencing an

submit a teammate spotlight.

Our Culture of Caring extends beyond community support and involvement. There was also a great deal of care and outreach to each other, keeping us together as we pivoted to remote work environments and started the process of returning to the workplace in 2021. Since 2005, the Brown & Brown Disaster Relief Foundation has existed to emergency hardship.

The future of work at Brown & Brown will continue to be defined by great leaders who serve as culture champions and provide the visible example by which others will follow, especially through moments of adversity. By engaging with customers and teammates, asking questions, and having the discipline to listen with humility, our culture will carry on with resilience and resolve.

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F U T U R E PA N D E M I C READINESS

Team Leader Communications The readiness of teammates physically, emotionally, & psychologically is the most important aspect of the Brown & Brown Return to Workforce Strategy. Ongoing communications with teammates should be maintained throughout a remote work emergency. In addition to leader-initiated communications, information and updates are generally also provided at an enterprise level. Team Leaders have an essential responsibility to reinforce these messages within their teams and demonstrate availability to address teammate concerns.

Careful communications from the office in advance of any teammate’s return to the workplace will lay the groundwork for helping teammates understand who returns to work, in what order, and what steps have been taken to ensure their health and safety.

Mental Health During a prolonged emergency, it is natural to wonder, when will it end? When will life get back to normal and back to a regular routine? This can be difficult territory to navigate. Imagine trying to drive cross-country with no GPS and no map. You will eventually get there – but which route will you take? What do you need to bring with you on this journey? For many, the unknowns can provoke anxiety. The uncertainty will eventually end, but we must learn how to navigate this journey and the stress that it generates until then.

Stress can cause the following: • Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration • Changes in appetite, energy, desires, and interests • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions • Difficulty sleeping or nightmares • Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes • Worsening of chronic health problems • Worsening of mental health conditions Helpful Hint: “Learning to cope with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and those around you become more resilient.” – Dr. Joel Axler

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Mental Health Allies Critical to our future of work will be our collective time and attention paid to our mental health and well-being. We will continue to be intentional about the quality of our work and the role our mental health can have on our work-life balance.

Mental Health Allies are a group of teammates who support the Brown & Brown team’s emotional health and well-being. They will become an essential point of contact for Brown & Brown’s mental health resources. All Mental Health Allies will be trained in Mental Health First Aid. These caring colleagues will listen, support, and refer teammates to appropriate resources. We will also rely on our Mental Health Allies to raise awareness of mental health issues and the importance of addressing stigma.

How Leaders Can Help Teammates Address Coping Skills and Readiness to Work: • Eat well, exercise, and rest • Balance work and life • Limit stimulants like caffeine, avoid alcohol and drug use • Connect with family and friends • Share your feelings • Give yourself time • Validate your experiences • Know that there is support

Consider What is on a Teammate’s Mind In times of change and uncertainty, teammates will have different personal needs. Profit Center Leaders should recognize that concerns about health, childcare, or job security are real. Providing resources and support for teammates to manage these challenges is as important as workplace changes.

Teammates have a voice. Encourage engagement in the virtual groups and activities that have been developed in response to COVID-19. These groups exist on The Spot, on Yammer, and in Microsoft Teams.

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WHY RETURN TO WO R K ?

Brown & Brown offices returning to the workplace have taken necessary precautions to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

If applicable, social distancing will be practiced by all teammates while working. Offices should be prepared to answer questions regarding the decision to return teammates to the workplace. Some reasons include:

For Productivity • To benefit from the innovative, collaborative spirit of teamwork and benefit from rapid decision-making when together.

• To streamline communication channels by replacing virtual calls and emails with in-person interactions.

• To minimize distractions, enabling focus and creativity.

• To benefit from real-time coaching and mentoring.

• Ad hoc knowledge sharing.

For the Resources and Tools • Access to technology solutions tools and resources in a secure environment.

• Because of required access to equipment, testing, and data infrastructure.

For Teammates and Office • To access people needed for work-related tasks—leaders, teams, peers, customers.

As a Social Outlet • Seeing people, being part of a community with a shared purpose, diversity of thought, camaraderie, etc.

• Where applicable, offices will comply with relevant regulations defining who should and should not return to the physical workplace.

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W H Y S TAY HOME? Team Leaders may be asked why others have not yet been recalled to the workplace.

Every situation is unique, and those reasons are not always appropriate to share. Conveying that care and concern guided the decision is helpful.

Some circumstances why teammates may remain in remote work may include: • The Team Leader has assigned the teammate remote work, and the teammate entered into a remote work agreement.

• Individual health and personal situations.

• Personal health risks warranting a leave of absence.

For Productivity • High-performer earned the opportunity to work remote.

• Location affords strategic proximity to customers.

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G E T T I N G B AC K I N TO T H E H A B I T S OF SUCCESS

Source: ComPsych Corporation (2021)

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There are some basic habits shared by everyone who achieves success on the job. As we get back into the swing of the workplace, keep these habits in mind.

• List your to-dos for the week and prioritize. Keep in mind that prioritizing your tasks takes a lot of mental effort. Try planning when your brain is freshest. For some people, this may mean first thing in the morning; others may prefer to wait until later in the day.

• Organize tasks by importance and how long you think you will need to complete each task. Make sure to coordinate your schedule with when you are most productive.

• Establish a routine for daily tasks. A routine can help make you more efficient. For example, if you need extra time to get focused in the morning, answer routine emails when you start your day. This practice will give you time to settle in and prepare to take on bigger tasks that require more focus.

• Schedule similar tasks back-to-back. Try making all your phone calls one after another or writing and sending emails all at one time.

• Take breaks. Complex tasks, like writing or strategizing, take a lot of brainwork. It is critical to give your brain a chance to relax. Take a short walk or socialize with a coworker. When you get back to work, it will likely be easier to focus.

• Do not multitask. When you do, you divide your attention between two activities. It is easier to forget things because your focus is split. Focus on one item at a time to ensure that you catch any mistakes and do not have to redo the task.

• Go slow; it will save you time in the long run. Instead of rushing a response to a critical email, take the time to write a thoughtful and thorough reply to help prevent confusion.

• When writing a report, work slowly and talk with others about your conclusions. Doing so will help you better understand your findings.

• Organize your day around your body’s energy levels. Tackle your most important work when you have the most energy and save low-intensity tasks for periods when energy is low.

• Take care of your health. It is hard to be productive and successful when you are tired, are battling a health condition, or your body is craving nutrients you are not getting due to a poor diet.

Click here for ComPsych: GuidanceResources® Online

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E VA LUAT I N G W H O R E T U R N S TO WO R K Essential Teammates • Teammates who are not high risk.

• Teammates and team leaders who perform essential functions (as determined by the PCL).

• Teammates who are struggling with remote work and would be more productive in the workplace.

Teammates Available to Return • Previously sick, medically cleared.

• Essential teammate with no known COVID-19 symptoms or illness.

Teammates Not Available to Return • Currently sick.

• Currently immunocompromised.

• Currently on approved Leave of Absence.

• Teammates who are healthy and available for on-site work.

T E A M M AT E R E S O U R C E L I N K S Mental Health Resources

Tips for a Healthy Work From Home Experience

Teammate Guide to Ergonomic Posture

Helpful Hint: Examples of individuals at higher risk for severe illness related to COVID-19 include those with cancer and chronic disease related to kidneys, liver, lung, heart, diabetes, neurological conditions, and substance use disorders. Those who are pregnant, obese, or are immunocompromised are also at higher risk. If compatible with their medical condition, vaccination will greatly decrease the risk of these individuals getting severely ill with COVID-19. If individuals with these diseases cannot be vaccinated, it is possible, depending on their medical condition, it may be preferable for them to continue working at home. These individuals should discuss their individual situations with their physicians. – Dr. Louise Short

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TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Be future-ready and prepared to take on a sudden return to remote work or take time to learn new skills to manage virtual and hybrid work environments.

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BBU LEARNING CATALOGUE Click a title to visit the course.

Recommended Courses for Leaders MANAGING REMOTE TEAMS MANAGING SKILLS FOR REMOTE LEADERS MANAGING VIRTUAL TEAMS LEADING REMOTE PROJECTS AND VIRTUAL TEAMS PLANNING FOR YOUR HYBRID ORGANIZATION ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY IN A HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT LEVERAGING VIRTUAL AND HYBRID TEAMS FOR IMPROVED EFFECTIVENESS

Recommended Courses for Teammates TIPS FOR WORKING REMOTELY TIME MANAGEMENT: WORKING FROM HOME SUPPORTING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WHILE WORKING FROM HOME BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WHILE WORKING FROM HOME STAYING ORGANIZED WHILE WORKING REMOTELY OR ON-SITE BALANCING WORK AND LIFE

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ABSENCE M A N AG E M E N T Leave of absence can be a complex process. The use of flexible, hybrid work environments has increasingly appeared in the global workforce, impacting absence management landscapes. With continuous changes and updates to Federal, State, and local laws, and temporary rules related to the pandemic, our experienced and dedicated Team Resources team works alongside our third-party leave administrator to help navigate the leave process for teammates and their Leaders.

If you have a Leave of Absence question, please reach out to the Team Resources contact within your office.

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ADDRESSING H E S I TA N CY TO R E T U R N TO T H E WO R K P L AC E As the Profit Center Leader, you may require teammates to return to working on-site in the office. Of course, there will be exceptions and unique circumstances that require review on a case by case basis. Partner with Team Resources to evaluate any such circumstances before determining whether an exception applies.

The following scenarios are samples of questions or circumstances you may encounter as you follow a staged return to on-site work. Select scenarios include recorded guidance from a Team Resources professional. Recorded guidance is not intended to serve as policy—contributions are provided as general guidance. To review unique circumstances or an additional scenario, contact your Team Resources professional.

Productivity Conversations • “I am more productive at home. Why do I need to return to the workplace?”

(TR guidance).

• “I’m more productive working remote, and the company is exceeding financial performance expectations.”

(TR guidance).

• “It’s quieter working from home; fewer distractions.”

• “I’m willing to come back, but only in a hybrid work schedule.”

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Wellness & Work-life • “Stress levels are way down working remotely.”

(TR guidance).

• “I have a better work-life balance when I work from home.” (TR guidance).

Caregiver Conversations • “More beneficial to my family if I WFH” (TR guidance).

• “I save so much time and money not commuting, and now I can work longer hours if I work remote.” (TR guidance).

• “My family member has become accustomed to me working remotely and is experiencing anxiety at the thought of me leaving them.”

(TR guidance).

• “I am the primary caregiver to my elderly parents.”

(TR guidance).

• “I don’t want to wear a mask, and I oppose vaccination, so I want to work remotely.”

(TR guidance).

• “I have young children at home. Our daycare/school options are no longer available.”

• “I bought a dog/pet while working remote, and now I can’t come into the office.”

Convenience Conversations • “We sold our car and now share only one car because we were working remotely. It would be too difficult to come into the office with only one car.”

• “I moved away/further away , and the commute is too far.”

(TR guidance).

• “Millennials gave up their expensive apartments in major cities and moved back “home” with their parents/ families to avoid the loneliness issues that were caused by the isolation associated with the pandemic.” (TR guidance).

• “Millennials gave up their expensive apartments in major cities and moved back “home” with their parents/families to save money.” (TR guidance).

• “I previously used public transportation/mass transit to commute to work, but that no longer feels safe. I require a parking space/parking pass to return and feel safe.”

• “I’m saving on childcare costs.”

Safety Conversations • “I don’t feel safe if I have to work in a cubicle. I only want to return if you give me a private office.”

• “I don’t feel safe because I am worried about other teammates coming into work sick.”

• “I don’t feel safe. I am concerned I will not know who is and is not vaccinated, and therefore I prefer to stay home and work remotely.”

• “I don’t feel safe. I am concerned about others following safety protocol.”

• “I don’t feel safe. I am considered high-risk (i.e., diabetes), which I indicated when taking the BBU course, and because of COVID, I do not want to come into work in the office.”

• “I’m vaccinated, but I have a sick relative (immunocompromised) at home and don’t want to bring germs back.”

• “I have young children at home. I do not feel safe sending my children to daycare/school, and so I must work from home.”

For any questions related to safety or employment conversations, please Contact your Team Resources Professional for guidance.

Employment Conversations • “Can I be required to return to work on-site?”

• “Competitors and other employers offer remote work. Why should I stay?”

• “I’ve been offered a similar job with the same pay but guaranteed 100% remote work.”

• “My job description doesn’t specify I must be located in an office.”

• “How do I go about seeking an exemption from having to report to an office?

• “With more hybrid workers, more video-conferencing is happening, and so we need private offices instead of cubicles to control the sound quality and reduce distractions.”

• “I’ll take a pay cut to work remote. I prefer the work-life balance it affords.”

• “I am close to retirement & would prefer to just work remote for the remainder of my time.”

• “A teammate has indicated they don’t feel safe coming to the office, but another teammate has informed leadership that they have posted pictures of events they have attended on social media.”

• “A teammate is not meeting performance expectations and refuses to return to the office for additional support. Can I mandate they return?”

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B R OW N & B R OW N WO R K F O R C E M O D E L S F L E X I B L E . AG I L E . H Y B R I D. Brown & Brown deployed a stepwise approach to returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and through the gradual return of teammates, offices have been utilizing a variety of hybrid work models out of necessity. Pursue a full return to the workplace.

Otherwise, re-engineering work using hybrid workforce models may become a valuable option for your office and the future of work, provided it is done in a fashion that supports and reinforces our company culture. Work schedules and assignments, including use of hybrid models, is a leadership decision.

The following information is intended to help offices evaluate different workforce models, including hybrid work models and recommended guidelines for effectively managing teammates in a hybrid workforce model without departing from the highly collaborative and interactive work environment critical to maintaining the Brown & Brown culture.

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Full Return to the Workplace Pursue a full return to the workplace. Traditional work schedules are restored, replicating the arrangements in place before moving to the temporary remote work environment.

Full Remote Workforce Model Remote teams operating as fully remote assignments since before the pandemic will remain as such until and unless the Profit Center Leader chooses to alter the model. For all other teams, remote work was a temporary assignment with the intention of an eventual return to the workplace. Profit Center Leaders may discuss the conversion of temporary remote work assignments to permanent remote workforce models with their Regional President.

Hybrid Workforce Models In any hybrid workforce model, the option to combine on-site work and remote work is supported by the Profit Center Leader on an as-needed basis. The Profit Center Leader determines whether to extend a hybrid option to an entire team(s) or select highly productive teammates in remote environments and for a specified duration.

The office maintains sufficient office space for teammates requiring in-person work. Set clear expectations with your team regarding attendance at scheduled on-site meetings.

Variations of hybrid workforce models are numerous. The following specific hybrid workforce models are frequently utilized, easily implemented, and compatible with the Brown & Brown culture.

• 3/2 Hybrid Workforce Model: Teammates may be scheduled by team or department for three specific on-site workdays and two remote workdays. Teams may also rotate schedules throughout the week, using shared spaces in the office(s).

• 4/1 Hybrid Workforce Model: Teammates may be scheduled by team or department for four specific on-site workdays and one remote workday. Teams may also rotate schedules throughout the week, using shared spaces in the office(s).

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SELECTING THE RIGHT HYBRID WO R K F O R C E MODEL Teammate safety is always the top priority.

Consider whether the selected model affords the right work environment to maintain a safe and healthy workplace. The second priority is to demonstrate flexibility and balance responsive to teammate strengths and intentional about reinforcing culture. Determinations will be heavily influenced by the roles and responsibilities of the individual teammates.

Questions to work through include: • What is the nature of the teammates’ work and specific job performed?

• Why does a specific teammate need to perform their work in the office?

• What is the proper visibility of the role?

• To what extent does a teammate need to collaborate with others?

• To what extent does a teammate need to rapidly exchange information?

• Are teammates engaged in more strategic or more transactional activities?

Teammate aspects to consider: • Does their personality succeed or struggle in a remote environment?

• How much experience and tenure do they have?

• How is someone feeling about working from home versus in the office?

• Is that person feeling disconnected or overwhelmed?

• Is the teammate clear about the organization’s strategy and their role and responsibilities?

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Managing the Change Communication is key to influencing your team and managing the change to a hybrid workforce model. It helps tremendously for the teams to be fully supportive of the change. Enlist the help of change champions within the group. The decision to suddenly deploy a remote workforce model was out of our hands as we responded to a pandemic. We have much more control over how we will emerge and grow into our future.

• Get as much teammate input as you can, as early as you can. You have been working a long time remotely; what should it look like in the future?

• Specify any physical parameters or real estate considerations the team needs to consider.

• Challenge the team to imagine the future state of the office. How much will it grow? Will our talent needs change? How much collaboration do we want or need? Can we be highly successful in the chosen model?

• Consider what lessons were learned in the past year. Where do we have gaps in our current workforce model? Which gaps do we close and fix?

What other obstacles do we need to solve to make the workforce model work? As we shift our work yet again from where we are today to our chosen hybrid workforce model, does our perspective need to shift?

• Be as open-ended as possible. How should we work to get the best business results? Then listen.

• Outline the overall decision process and communicate it with others.

• Share what criteria you will use to evaluate how well the selected hybrid workforce model is performing.

Making this decision will impact the office culture. Before choosing a hybrid workforce model, consider how the culture has endured remote work and the gradual return to the workplace. Was it positive or negative? Create an aspirational picture of what the future looks like and compare it to the model you are considering.

Create your change plan and lay out your timeline. Ensure the team sees the bigger picture. Continue the practice of fostering dialogue and feedback loops. It is critical to understand how your team truly feels things are going.

Prepare your leaders to develop the requisite skill sets they will need to manage differently. A wealth of training materials and resources are available in BBU. Finally, get started!

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O F F I C E R E A L E S TAT E As you consider the future of work and explore the Brown & Brown Workforce Models, you may soon determine that your real estate needs are changing You may require more square footage, less square footage, or a different space. The Brown & Brown team of companies continues to grow, adding new locations and offices, which also presents opportunities to consolidate office space in some areas.

Brown & Brown will approach these opportunities more deliberately in the future and provide Profit Center Leaders with more coordinated support and innovative solutions for capitalizing on real estate opportunities.

In 2021, Brown & Brown established a Commercial Real Estate function solely dedicated to the lease renewal process, co-location opportunities, and strategic real estate partnerships. This addition to the enterprise shifts the job of research, extensive contract review, cost projections, and opportunity modeling off the desk of Profit Center Leaders and supplies a designated team who will perform the work.

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Lease Renewal Process • As your lease renewal approaches and in advance of any required landlord notice of change, you will be contacted by the Real Estate Team to initiate the process. Your lease experience and satisfaction will be highly relevant and carefully reviewed to initiate the process.

The terms will be evaluated for market fairness and opportunities for improvement. Long-term lease renewals (beyond 5-year terms) will require approval of the Divisional President.

Co-Location Opportunities • Co-locating offices can generate significant savings and provides an office with an opportunity to adapt to changing geographic makeups. Neighborhoods and communities grow and change shape over time. As our business grows and we acquire more office locations, the opportunities for co-locating offices will increase.

Executing the co-location of offices requires a great deal of time and energy. There are move

logistics to be considered and technology issues to be resolved—both of which require careful attention. The Real Estate team has the experience to help efficiently plan for and execute these types of opportunities.

Cushman & Wakefield Partnership • Brown & Brown is proud to partner with Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), a global leader in the commercial real estate industry. C&W offers Brown & Brown a new perspective on COVID-19’s impact on commercial real estate and beyond, preparing us for the future. They have also been actively engaged in evaluating our company for co-location opportunities. They supply comparative analyses that consider every angle of the challenges we may face and put forward expert solutions to help us get results. Their partnership on lease renewals, colocation opportunities, and COVID-19 workspace evaluation drives significant savings and creates exceptional real estate solutions.

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FUTURE OF WO R K TO O L K I T T E M P L AT E S F O R L E A D E R S Click a resource to download the template.

REMOTE WORK GUIDELINES TEAMMATE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HYBRID WORKFORCE MODEL & REMOTE WORK GUIDELINES HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT: ONBOARDING CHECKLIST REMOTE EQUIPMENT INVENTORY FORM HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT: TEAMMATE COMPATIBILITY ASSESSMENT

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