Skip to main content
  • Claims Center
  • Contact Us
  • Español
  • Brokers & Agents
Hiscox Insurance
Menu Toggle
  • Home
  • Small Business Insurance Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Why Hiscox Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Resources Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Policy Management Toggle Menu Toggle Menu
  • Claims Center
  • Contact Us
  • Español
  • Brokers & Agents
  • About
  • Get a Quote Get a Quote
  • About
  • Get a Quote Get a Quote
  • Blog Home
    Start Your Business
    Grow Your Business
    Protect Your Business
    Celebrate Courage
    Search

    Small Business Insights

    Sign up to get the latest small business news delivered right to your inbox.
    Celebrate Courage
    International Women's Day. Jennifer Bergstrom.

    Advancing women in the workplace: A conversation with the leader of Women at Hiscox

    Entrepreneur
    By:
    Bridget Kiley

    Share Image

    Embed Image

    Copy

    Share Article:

    In honor of International Women’s Day, we sat down with Jennifer Bergstrom to get her perspective on the advancement of women in the workplace and her advice to women looking to grow their careers. Jennifer has been with Hiscox for four years. She is VP, Product Head of Management Liability, Crime and Financial Services and the founder and leader of the employee resource group (ERG) Women at Hiscox US. 

    Here is what she had to say about how we can advance women in the workplace.

    Infographic: The rise of women entrepreneurs

    Providing resources to women in the workplace

    The Women at Hiscox employee network provides support and resources to its members and employees through virtual events and webinars, training, newsletters, and speakers. In the past, the network hosted workshops to help women develop their careers, such as Daring to Lead with Kristen Hemingway, which provided training “around courageous leadership, barriers to leadership, and explained four skill sets that women (and men) can use to improve their leadership style and become more effective leaders, ” explains Jennifer. 

    Related: 5 Business pitch strategies for women entrepreneurs 

    Male support in advancing women

    Jennifer explained that it’s important to the network that they provide resources that everyone finds useful, regardless of gender. “We are very intentional about choosing topics that are relevant and of interest to everyone, not just women. Male allyship is critical to achieving gender equality and diversity. When I founded the network, we had a male executive sponsor (Neil Lipuma), who was really instrumental in getting the group off the ground. His passion for gender equality and his support for women in their career pursuits is exactly the type of allyship we are hoping to find more of as the group continues to grow.” 

    “One of the things I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is how we can increase our male membership and enhance men’s support of women in their careers within the company. This is a work in progress, so more to come on that,” says Jennifer. 

    Watch: Hiscox customer supporting women in the maritime industry

    Top 3 career tips for women 

    As someone with a track record of success in developing her own career and connecting with the right people who will support her ambitions, Jennifer has some great advice for other women looking to grow professionally. Here are her top three tips.

    1. Embrace risk

    “Don't be afraid to take a risk and do something outside of your comfort zone,” says Jennifer. “Women tend to be more selective when it comes to choosing which jobs they will apply for, but research suggests that once they do apply, they are more likely to be hired compared to their male counterparts.”

    “If you're interested and you think you can do the job, apply for it.”        

    2. Do something you love

    “Do something you love. Do something you're interested in," says Jennifer.

    "I've found throughout my career, that when I wasn't challenged and when I wasn't interested in what I was doing, I wasn't doing a very good job. Being interested in what you’re doing is a huge part of being successful.” 

    3. Find a mentor

    “Find a good mentor or sponsor; somebody who you can trust with questions about your career, career moves, career decisions, and who's willing to put their neck out for you to recommend you for a promotion or to sponsor you and your career goals,” explains Jennifer.

    “I've had some really good role models who were women in my career that helped me develop and figure out what career path I want to take and have given me support throughout all of my years in insurance.”

    As we celebrate international women’s day, it’s important to remember what got us this far when it comes to gender equality and the continued work ahead. Continuing the conversation throughout the year and elevating women’s voices is one way to push through barriers and strive for equality.


    Protect Your Business

    Protect the business you’ve worked so hard to build. Get a fast, free quote and your business could be covered today.

    Get a Quote
    Get a Quote
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Related Articles

    5 Min Read
    Spotlighting Hiscox photographer customers, Kdmorris, Sydney Sherman, and Paramount Memories - William and Jennifer Chavis

    Exposed: photographers who developed their love for photos into a profession

    Customer stories | Small business inspiration

    We spotlight the creativity and drive that inspires photographers, and share the stories of these Hiscox customers who developed their passion into a profession.

    Read More

    5 Min Read
    Hiscox USA Diversity Report, Parts 1 and 2

    Diversity can help your business in more ways than you might think

    Thought-leadership | Small business inspiration

    Increasing diversity in your small business is the right thing to do, but did you know it may help your business in other ways too? Here’s what we learned from a recent survey. 

    Read More

    5 Min Read
    women-who-made-business-dreams-reality

    Strong uplifting women who made their business dreams come true

    Small business inspiration | Customer stories

    Behind every entrepreneur is a dream that motivated them. Get inspired by these four strong women who turned their business dreams into reality. 

    Read More


    We’re here to help.
    We provide tailored insurance for the specific risks you face, so you can take the right risks to grow your business.
    Get a Quote
    Get a Quote

    Footer menu 1

    • What We Cover
      • Business Insurance
      • General Liability Insurance
      • Professional Liability Insurance
      • Errors and Omissions
      • Cyber Security Insurance
      • Workers Compensation
      • Other Coverage
    • Who We Cover
      • Small Business Owners
      • LLC
      • Sole Proprietors
      • Entrepreneurs
      • Side Hustle
      • Contractors
      • Home Businesses
    • For Our Customers
      • Refer a Friend Program
      • Covid-19 Response
      • Claims Center
    • For Business Owners
      • Save with our Partners
    • About Hiscox
      • About Us
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
      • Hiscox Corporate
      • Investors
      • Foundation
      • Newsroom
      • We Stand Together
      • Affiliate Partner Program

    Footer menu 2

    • Accessibility
    • Site Map
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Legal Notices
    • Español

    Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    Feefo Reviews: Hiscox rated 4.7/5 with 1,067 reviews between January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2023

    © 2023 Hiscox Inc. All rights reserved. Underwritten by Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 1760, Chicago, IL 60602. As of December 31, 2022, HICI had admitted assets of $1,458,861,470 and policyholders surplus of $380,056,863. Total liabilities were $1,078,804,607 (inclusive of $529,538,410 of loss reserves) and paid-up capital stock was $4,242,000.

    icon-facebook
    icon-youtube
    icon-twitter
    icon-linkedin