Mutual of Omaha IT Leadership Series

After graduating from college, Melissa Pruch set her sights on becoming an elementary school teacher. However, jobs in that field were scarce at that time.

As a temporary measure, Pruch went to work in the Human Resources department at Mutual of Omaha. She only planned to stay for six or seven months, just until something became available in education.

But Pruch would soon receive her first taste of technology by serving on the team that launched Mutual’s PeopleSoft software system.

Fast forward 24 years and, today, she is the vice president of Information Services (I/S) Performance and Operations. We recently sat down with her to discuss the great technology opportunities at Mutual of Omaha.

Q: Tell us about your department and the work it does.

A: My division has two areas of concentration. One is Agile Portfolio and Program Operations (APPO). We design and launch our Agile Release Trains (ARTs), which consist of the stable teams we use to get work completed. The APPO also provides training and coaching on the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFE) methodology, which is used for portfolio and project management throughout I/S.

In addition, I’m responsible for I/S Strategic Talent Enablement. This area focuses on the recruiting, onboarding and continued training and education of I/S staff.

Q: What type of I/S professionals are you looking to add to your team?

A: While technical skills are certainly important, we first want candidates who are a good fit culturally. So, we look for ideal team player characteristics:

Humility – someone who thinks most often about what will benefit their team versus benefitting themselves. We want someone who will collaborate and won’t bulldoze others.

Hungry – we look for candidates who are eager to do a good job and take pride in their work.

Smart – we ask ourselves if candidates are “people smart.” Do they have emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal skills?

Once we know if a candidate is a good fit for our culture, we then discuss and evaluate their particular technical skills.

Q: What can Mutual of Omaha offer I/S professionals that other employers can’t?

A: We offer a flexibility and humanity that many other companies don’t. At the onset of the pandemic, it was very clear the company’s executive leadership was making employee safety the top priority. Mutual was the first company in Omaha to send associates home. Every decision since then has been all about protecting employees.

And it’s not just lip service. It’s really how our leadership thinks and makes decisions. In my 24 years here, that’s been pretty consistent. In addition, we have a very inclusive culture at Mutual of Omaha and believe that everyone should bring their true self to work. For example, our Employee Resource Groups give everyone the opportunity to learn about people from various backgrounds and cultures.

Q: How do your teams measure success?

A: On the operations side, we look at several metrics that gauge productivity, including average velocity (the pace at which an associate can comfortably work) and load (the volume of work being handled). This helps us determine if the employee is working at a sustainable pace, which is one that they can maintain indefinitely or if adjustments need to be made to their workload.

On the talent side, we use an Engineering Skill Set Assessment to evaluate associate progress. We also look at engagement scores, which tell us how people feel about working here. Finally, we check with recent hires regarding their onboarding experience, as well as those who have left the company so we can learn about what we can do better.

Q: How do you and your leadership team invest in the professional growth of your associates?

A: I/S maintains an extensive library of training materials and online courses to help staff further their development. We also have an I/S talent accelerator team that focuses on continued professional development, including helping staff obtain various certifications. Plus, Mutual of Omaha offers tuition reimbursement for job-related course work.

Q: Can you share a story from one of your team members who experienced this growth?

A: I remember one associate who showed a hunger to do more and advance. With additional training and support, she went from being an administrative assistant to working as a project manager. We have so much opportunity here to try new things and allow our associates to find their passion.

In addition, the I/S Leadership Academy (ISLA) is an internal program for associates considering management or who want to work on their influence and leadership skills. I’ve seen this program help numerous staff members advance their careers.

Q: Why is now an exciting time to work at Mutual of Omaha?

A. Mutual of Omaha is a strong, stable company with forward-thinking leadership. We make sure we have the tools and technology we need to serve our customers and continue to lead the industry. We’ve embraced remote and hybrid work as an integral part of our talent strategy. Plus, we’re building a new corporate headquarters in downtown Omaha with a real focus on how people will be working in the future, not how we’ve worked in the past. So, the future is very bright!