Yanush Singh – National Business Development Manager Institutional Segment at Sanlam
We spoke with Yanush Singh, National Business Development Manager: Institutional Segment at Sanlam to gain insight into the purpose of Sanlam’s sponsorship of Eduweek and the benefit he gained from attending this valuable event.
Q: When was Sanlam established and what is the company’s purpose, vision and mission?
Established in 1918, Sanlam has successfully expanded to more than 40 countries across the world, with an extensive African footprint in over 30 African countries. As Wealthsmiths, and leaders in the creation and protection of wealth, Sanlam has the opportunity to make a positive difference. With a sincere desire to help people live their best possible lives, Sanlam holds true to its purpose by offering relevant financial products and services as well as empowering communities where the group does business.
Q:Â What is the primary reason Sanlam has partnered with EAPA-SA to sponsor Eduweek?
The purpose of Eduweek is to educate employee assistance professionals on the different forms of wellness that can be offered to employees. Financial wellness is a crucial component of overall employee wellness.
Sanlam is an important stakeholder from a financial wellness point of view and it is important that we participate and support in order to learn, share and network. Eduweek provides us with an opportunity to learn about ancillary forms of wellness and how our value proposition fits into overall employee wellness.
As a leading provider of financial wellness we are also able to share our expertise. Importantly, networking with leading employee assistance professionals who share our keen interest in employee wellness also provides us access to the workplaces or key accounts they represent so that we are able to roll out our financial wellness programme and thereby empower employees within these workplaces.
“As Wealthsmiths, and leaders in the creation and protection of wealth, Sanlam has the opportunity to make a positive difference.” Yanush Singh, National Business Development Manager Key Accounts, Sanlam Life
Q: How did you find the Eduweek 2019 experience?
I thoroughly enjoyed it – particularly the presentation on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on the workplace.Â
Q: How do you feel that Eduweek benefits the EAP industry in South Africa – and beyond?
I think that Eduweek in its current format adds immense value. The content usually covers a broad spectrum of employee wellness topics. Some of the content is forward-looking which challenges attendees to consider future landscapes and the ongoing change management required to meet the rapidly evolving needs of workplaces and employees.Â
“Through Eduweek Sanlam is able to positively contribute to the industry by setting the benchmark for consumer financial education.”
Through Eduweek Sanlam is able to positively contribute to the industry by setting the benchmark for consumer financial education. Many other providers still offer financial wellness interventions that are very product-based, where education is used as a sales tool, as a pretext for pushing product. Our financial education is purely generic – it does not refer to specific Sanlam products. It is about setting an example for offering financial education in an authentic way that is aimed at uplifting employees and empowering them to make informed financial choices. We also set the gold standard for how financial wellness providers should interact with employees within key accounts: at Sanlam, we adhere strictly to voluntary opting in, so we don’t contact people with a view to providing one-on-one services afterwards, unless they specifically invite us to do so or unless otherwise agreed upon with the employer. We respect the privacy of the employees to whom we provide training. Â
From a financial wellness point of view, our country still faces immense challenges. One of these issues is how we reach the masses so that all employees can be educated on topics such as budgeting, debt management, managing financial risk and the importance of saving. Ultimately, we want to shift South African culture so that employees have less financial stress, become more productive and are able to live their best possible lives. Looking to the future we need to find innovative ways of reaching and educating more people.
Moreover, while we are able to treat the symptoms, it is imperative that we consider how we can address some of the causes of the many financial challenges South Africans are faced with. Through consumer financial education, participation in and sponsorship of events such as Eduweek and through our relationships with other providers of financial services, we also hope to influence and inspire providers and the industry as a whole to be more responsible towards consumers.
Q: What key information are you taking away from Eduweek 2019?
To reiterate, employee wellness providers will need to reposition themselves to meet the changing needs of employees, key accounts and society. The Fourth Industrial Revolution and generational theory point to the facts that the content of wellness programmes and the manner in which they are rolled out will undoubtedly have to develop. Workplaces and the ways in which work is done continue to change and members of generations Y and Z constitute an ever-increasing proportion of the South African workforce.
For more information on Sanlam’s Financial Wellness Programme, please contact Angeline Wood (Segment Co-ordinator: Institutional Segment) at angeline.wood@sanlam.co.za Â
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Sanlam
Founded in 1918, over the years Sanlam's focus has gradually shifted from providing traditional life insurance to encompassing a broad range of financial products and services. Â Today, Sanlam is a diversified financial services provider with an extensive product offering catering for all market segments. The Group has consistently grown its local as well as an international footprint - it now has a presence in more than 10 African countries, India, Malaysia, Philippines, the UK /Ireland, the US, Switzerland and Australia.