WTW Senior Advisor Poonam Yadav strives for excellence

Poonam Yadav is a Senior Advisor, Pensions Administration at WTW, based out of Mumbai in India.

Here, Poonam discusses her role at WTW, praises her team's willingness to help, and discusses the flexibility of her work hours that enables her to establish a healthy work life balance.

What are your personal skills or interests?

I have always been inclined towards teaching and mentoring. I like to keep myself updated and learn new things in my spare time. Other than this, I love traveling to new places and experiencing new cultures.

Can you tell us about your history with WTW?

I joined WTW as a senior advisor in pensions valuations in May 2018. It’s been almost three years since I joined the company and I must say that my journey to becoming a subject matter expert in this area has been enriching and fulfilling.

I had a background in insurance and with adequate assistance and training, I soon acquired the knowledge and expertise required for my role. The continuous support and excellent training provided by my senior colleagues have helped me channel my strengths and skills.

Can you tell us about the day-to-day responsibilities of your job?

My role as a senior advisor involves the management of pension schemes for multiple clients. I ensure that new and existing members’ pensions are accurately maintained and serviced. I also juggle between calculating pensions and forecasts, and preparing quotations, in addition to processing pension contributions while maintaining service level agreements.

What are the key challenges of your role? How have you overcome them?

Initially, understanding the finer details of pensions in the UK market was a challenge, given that my past professional experience was primarily in the UK insurance domain. I vividly remember the difficulties I faced when I worked on the transition of a new client account. Since I was new to the team, I was aware that this assignment would be particularly challenging. However, my senior colleagues and team gave me opportunities to learn, expand my knowledge on the subject and gradually become an expert.

This equipped me with the skills and confidence I needed to take up the project again in April 2020. I worked closely with the team to ensure that the transition was smooth, despite working remotely. The client was extremely happy with how the requirements were met, which would not have been possible without the support of my team.

The recent shift to work from home due to the global pandemic has been almost overwhelming being a mother of a young child. My team has always been helpful and especially flexible with my work hours, allowing me to accommodate my daughter’s online school routine and daily activities. This has helped me establish a healthy work-life balance.

What is your proudest achievement since joining WTW?

I have been able to achieve several milestones during my time at WTW but there is one that I will always cherish. It was when our team received the Best Team Award for our efforts on a key account of the company. Apart from this, I have also received three awards for outstanding work that I am grateful for.

How would you describe the culture at WTW?

The culture of a company can be inspiring, and this is something I have experienced since day one at WTW. The inclusive work environment has empowered me to focus on my career goals and grow professionally. I value the transparency within the company, along with the flexible work environment that allows me to seamlessly balance work and personal life.

What do you like best about working at WTW?

I’ve had the opportunity to work with talented, smart colleagues that are always respectful and go out of their way to support each other. The core values like teamwork, integrity and excellence are upheld by all colleagues and across every level of the company.

Was there anything that surprised you about your role or the company?

Yes, the thing that surprised me the most was the empathy that was shown by the senior colleagues during challenging times. Their actions confirm that the company’s values are not just on paper but are put into practice every single day. They make it a point to lead by example and inspire the team by making them feel heard, supported, and valued.

What is your hope for your career in the future?

I want to ensure that I can learn and expand my knowledge and expertise to achieve quality results. In the future, I would like to develop my skills further to help my professional growth within the company.

What advice would you give someone considering employment with WTW?

Working at WTW provides opportunities that will encourage you to strive for excellence and step closer to achieving your career goals. You will get the chance to grow both personally and professionally while truly living the shared values of integrity and teamwork. The organization and its colleagues are very supportive, and they encourage you to focus on your physical and mental wellbeing, which will help you stay motivated.