I'm sure we all remember being asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" a dozen times as a kids. Back then, the options were endless...firefighter, astronaut, teacher...or in my case, veterinarian! And while we may not have all followed the same path we set out for at age five, chances are many of our answers described careers we saw as fun, fulfilling and something we could be proud of.

Even today, officially a "grown up" and working full-time in finance, I still ask myself that same question, but now with a slightly different spin....

When I think of what type of work environment is ideal, three characteristics stand out:

Work/Life balance
It's that buzz word we've all heard and one of the hottest topics in talent management today. While we're not afraid of a little hard work, most of us are not looking for a job that defines our lives 24/7. Although it's easy to get caught up in the routine of working late during the week, putting in extra hours over the weekend or postponing vacation, it's important to take time for yourself. Whether it's a few hours or a couple of days, we all need a chance to refuel...and more often than not, we return reenergized and ready to work! From flexible work hours and telecommuting options to encouraging and promoting time off, Zurich offers a number of options to help employees find that right balance.

Work that matters
At the end of the day, we're all looking to leave the office with a sense of pride, accomplishment and personal satisfaction. We want to know our work matters. Meaningful assignments and seeing the link between individual contributions and company performance can be incredibly rewarding. Understanding a company's strategy is a critical component and Zurich does a great job communicating its aspirations through clear employee objective setting, frequent emails and online articles from senior leadership and quarterly Infoshare meetings.

Feedback and recognition
You can do it! We grew up receiving constant feedback from teachers, parents and peers and now, in my work life, I notice I continue to look for that same guidance. Whether it's a simple thank you note for a job well done or an encouraging suggestion for improvement, a little goes a long way. Both positive coaching and constructive criticism can help us learn from mistakes and provide that extra momentum to move forward in our careers. Zurich recognizes the importance of rewarding employees through its many incentive programs and for me personally, the Finance organization makes a conscious effort to acknowledge individual and team accomplishments at group meetings.