IAG partners with Terem to commercialise flexible workforce tech solution globally
Spinning off workplace app to enhance flexibility in contact centre operations.
IAG, Australia's largest general insurer, will spin off its bespoke workforce management app, Attune, in a joint venture with Terem Technologies (Terem).
Through the joint venture, Attune will commercialise the workplace flexibility software to enable workplaces, like contact centres or retail stores, to provide a new level of flexibility to employees.
IAG has been using Attune technology, previously known as 'Switch', since 2019 in its contact centres in Australia, which help NRMA Insurance and CGU customers.
Just as it has helped our people at IAG, we know that Attune has the potential to benefit many different businesses and bring about meaningful change to the lives of their employees.Amanda Whiting
Group Executive - IAG
Attune has been used by more than 300 IAG contact centre consultants and has enabled more than 10,000 shift changes. In 2020 Attune helped deliver a 9% increase in employee well-being scores, a 23% decrease in absenteeism and a 30% decrease in attrition.
IAG Acting Group Executive, Intermediated Insurance Australia, Amanda Whiting, said that the new joint venture will provide a flexible technology option at a time when organisations across the world are looking at new ways to embed flexibility for all employees.
"Just as it has helped our people at IAG, we know that Attune has the potential to benefit many different businesses and bring about meaningful change to the lives of their employees. Commercialising the technology is an opportunity to promote flexibility benefits for the wider workforce and their communities," Ms Whiting said.
CEO of Terem Technologies, Scott Middleton, said that Attune has given life-changing flexibility to IAG's contact centre staff and simultaneously reduced workforce management costs.
"This dual positive impact is why Terem is investing in and commercialising Attune," Mr Middleton said.
"In this new work-from-home world, true flexibility, in the form Attune offers, is now a necessity to attract the best people. We want to bring about change for contact centres around the world."
Together, IAG and Terem believe the unique challenges of the pandemic and the increased demand for flexible work options across almost every industry, make it the right time to commercialise Attune.
How Attune helps our people
As the mother of a child with ongoing medical needs, flexibility is everything to me. Her medical care, coupled with the needs of all my children, meant that prior to Attune I was absent from work a lot.
Attune empowered me to take control of my work time and I'm no longer torn between being there for my family or our customers.
Megan Wedderburn - IAG
How Attune works
- Before Attune, the process of changing shifts in IAG contact centres was manual and often involved several conversations, which was time consuming and labour intensive. Attune uses an algorithm and digital marketplace that manages supply and demand for different work shifts, automating the process. This empowers contact centre employees to make changes to their rosters and work hours online without seeking manager approval.
- Employees can earn 'Flexicoins' by opting to move to a shift that the business needs to be filled. Once they have enough coins, they can then use these to make shift changes when they need to. If the employee has enough coins in their wallet, the shift change is automatically and instantly approved.
- Since 2019, Attune has helped deliver a 9% increase in employee well-being scores, a 23% decrease in absenteeism and a 30% decrease in attrition in IAG's call centres.
