MassMutual Company Culture & Values

Describe your experience with the onboarding process at your company. What resources, tools or people were made available to you during the process?

First of all, the recruiter who worked with me was exceptional, from our initial interaction to this day. The operations team member who did my cohort’s initial onboarding continues to be a great resource. Having HR partners who are there for you and responsive to your questions adds to the positive experience. In addition, my manager and support staff in my group were with me the whole way, even traveling from outside the region to meet in person. They’ve fully supported me since. 

The onboarding team sent all my equipment ahead of time, and the IT team was deeply helpful — the process was very smooth. This combination reaffirmed my excitement to come work here. 

I’ve since hired team members of my own, so I’ve seen it from the other side, and I know how much thought and effort MassMutual puts into hiring and onboarding new employees, both on the HR and talent acquisition side and the business side. 

Few places I’ve worked before have come close to this caliber of onboarding experience. It comes down to the company culture: is it collegial, is there a true emphasis on teamwork? That’s the foundation, in addition to an organized and thoughtful onboarding process.

How did the onboarding process contribute to your understanding of the company culture, values and expectations? Were there any specific training programs, resources or mentorship opportunities provided during onboarding that you found especially helpful?

I initially worked for MassMutual after college, then went on to hold several different roles across several companies over 20 years. So my onboarding journey was also a return journey. I was intentional about the decision: I had met with many current employees who spoke highly of the culture — how welcoming it was, how partnership-focused. Teamwork. Warmth. I hadn’t always found that at other companies. I’m a former professional athlete, and a coach, so these ideas are central to how I operate. 

Throughout my recruiting and onboarding process, these qualities showed themselves again and again. At MassMutual, people want to help you. 

There’s also an understanding here of true leadership. In my first couple of months I went through management training, including how to lead inclusively. A lot of people throw the word ‘leadership’ around without understanding what it means. Leading a team isn’t about hierarchy. As your leader, I’m not better than you. I’m there for you — when things get tough, I’m going to step in front of you to help, or deal with the challenge alongside you. At MassMutual, I’ve found that people truly understand and honor that concept.

What about your onboarding experience was different from past experiences starting in a new role? What do you think made it so effective?

It all started with my recruiter. She was one of my first direct interactions with this company in the 20 years since I’d first worked here, and how great she is at her job made me excited to return. Everyone I met during my interview and onboarding process reinforced that. Everyone was down to earth. Everyone was also very smart — I would meet team members who were so kind and welcoming, and later I would be blown away by how talented they are in their roles. 

This extends to leadership. At some large companies, executives don’t care about speaking with anyone other than their peers. That is not the case here. There’s a lighter touch by leaders here, a more genuine extension of support and interest from executives. You can’t always explain something like that. You need to experience it. And when you’re working for a place that has it, you know.