Company Overview
Founded over 150 years ago, the Independent Order of Foresters is a fraternal life insurance organization with a mission rooted in purpose and community. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Foresters operates across Canada, the U.S., and the U.K., with nearly 1,500 employees.
Foresters has a rich legacy of innovation and was a pioneer in extending insurance benefits to the average working family, as well as admitting women as full members. Foresters Financial continues to modernize while staying true to its values of community involvement and purpose-driven service.
Foresters Driving Force Behind Industry Advantage
Sandeep Vete, Senior Manager, Talent Management, drove the selection, implementation, and success of Industry Advantage at Foresters. Sandeep’s creativity and persistence have been invaluable in communicating the importance of this program.
One-Size Fits-All to Fit-For-Purpose Learning
Foresters learning ecosystem was ready for transformation. Previously, the organization offered professional development opportunities as a blanket learning solution that simply didn’t resonate. Completion rates were in single digits, and the learning topics were not focused on the life insurance industry and roles within the organization.
The company needed a solution that was:
- Composed of bite-sized learning solutions
- Flexible and accessible across devices at any time convenient to learner
- Motivational, with both extrinsic and intrinsic incentives
- Self-directed, allowing employees to choose their own learning paths
A Smarter Way to Learn: Bite-Sized, Big Impact
Foresters was the first Canadian company to deploy Industry Advantage, LOMA’s just-in-time learning subscription program. The decision to implement Industry Advantage was influenced by:
- Positive feedback from U.S. clients and LOMA committee members
- A desire to move away from one-size-fits-all learning
- The need for targeted content aligned with strategic goals
Foresters initially launched Industry Advantage for Insurance Operations and intends to expand into other departments such as Marketing, Human Resources, and Compliance.
Seamless Rollout with Strategic Reach
The rollout of Industry Advantage was smooth and timely, coinciding with Foresters transition to a new learning management system. An organized, timely rollout was key to engagement in and adoption of the program.
The implementation included:
- Town halls and team meetings to introduce the platform
- Monthly intranet spotlights and email campaigns recommending courses
- Gamification strategies, including contests and rewards
- Integration into performance goals and onboarding plans
New hires in Insurance Operations are required to complete specific learning paths within their first 90 days of employment, and completion of LOMA’s FLMI Level 1 Certificate in Insurance Fundamentals within the first 12 months in their role. These professional development efforts are considered essential for building a foundational understanding of the insurance industry.
Foresters also hosts lunch-and-learns featuring LOMA subject matter experts, a practice that has proven highly effective.
“We try to tap knowledge across all parts of insurance operations and identify the correct people analytics around Industry Advantage utilization. This helps us tell a story and identify additional tactics to improve usage.”
– Sandeep Vete, Senior Manager, Talent Management, Foresters Financial
Activation to Acceleration
Employee response has been positive and strategic HR initiatives have driven engagement.
Notable activities include:
- Foresters learners completed 1,500 courses within the first 5 months after launch and have utilized 63% of the Industry Advantage course library
- Gamification offerings, specifically enrollment contests and prizes in June 2025 significantly boosted employee seat activations
- Other departments began requesting access to Industry Advantage following internal presentations
Building a Culture of Continuous Learning
Foresters is committed to expanding and enhancing Industry Advantage through:
- Manager-driven course recommendations
- Increased gamification and intrinsic motivation
- Incentives such as:
- Social appreciation on their recognition platform - Spotlight
- Gift cards for contest participation
- Completing courses during working hours
The organization continues to build ground-up employee buy-in while empowering managers to guide their teams’ development.