Stand Out Amid The “Great Resignation” & Start Offering Flexible, Part-Time Roles

Open Letter to the SEO Industry: Want to Stand Out During The “Great Resignation?” Consider Part-Time Roles.?

As if pandemic-induced budget cuts and supply shortages weren't enough strain on businesses, 2021 brought a new wave of challenges involving labor and employment.?

For the SEO and greater tech industry, these obstacles are far more than mere operational hurdles (like going from working at the office to working from home). The real crux has been finding and retaining talented professionals who are willing to put in the time and do the work.

In turn, 2021 experienced record-high quit rates, otherwise dubbed The “Great Resignation.” This movement is more than just a trend. It's an evolving standard that’s reshaping the workforce ecosystem as we know it, and in many ways.

No economic stimulus package is going to curb this workforce shake-up. Today’s professionals seek greater flexibility and transparency in their work, and it’s these opportunities that will feed the future talent pool.?

The future is now, and the future is flexible work.

This open letter to the SEO industry highlights how businesses can adapt and thrive amidst The “Great Resignation,” largely by creating part-time roles and flexible work opportunities.?

But first, let’s recap the key lessons learned from 2021.

What We Can Learn From The “Great Resignation?”?

Data from the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) are, well, jolting. Not only did quit rates reach an all-time high in 2021, but the sheer number of those who moved on in Q3 and Q4 doubled that of a decade ago.?

In September alone, 4.4 million Americans (or 3% of workers) quit their job. Compound 4 million-ish across several months, and you have a substantial portion of the working population quitting in a short span of time.

Source: BLS.gov JOLTS Databases: Top Picks: Quits Rate?

Perhaps more interesting than the numbers, the actual reasons why people are quitting provide an urgent call-to-action for employers. A survey by Limeade found several common themes behind why people quit in 2021. Similarly, Lattice discovered additional insights on what has made The “Great Resignation” so significantly great. Together, we can extrapolate these five reasons that have fueled the movement.??

• Newness - One of the common denominators is simply the desire to find something new and more fulfilling. 54% of Lattice's survey respondents underscored interest in seeking new job opportunities, particularly with greater clarity and growth opportunities.
• Burnout - Reported by 40% of Limeade’s survey respondents, burnout was the number one contributing factor to quitting, which was often associated with physical and emotional exhaustion, stress, and apathy toward one’s work.
• Flexibility - Non-traditional schedules and flexible work arrangements were another top-priority reason for employees bouncing for greener pastures. The pandemic proved what is possible with remote work, and for most businesses in tech and SEO, it’s a no-brainer.
• Culture - Another interesting reason that stood out in Limade’s survey was the desire to feel supported, cared for, and valued. These findings also overlapped into aspects involving mental health and cultivating a sense of purpose.
• Transparency -? Bringing it full circle as to why workers want "newness;" it's because they seek a sense of clarity in their work, including how they can grow and how the company will foster that growth.?

The takeaway is this: a majority of the resigning workforce has left to find new, flexible opportunities in favor of purposeful work and a clear path forward in their careers. For businesses stuck in the hiring rut, the signs above should be fundamental lessons that shape employment dynamics and recruiting.?

What Does Flexible Work Mean?

Flexibility comes in many forms. It can be measured by time off, hours in a workweek, or remote vs in-person expectations. But just what does flexible work actually mean??

To us, it simply means:

• Working when you want (flexible schedule)
• Working where you want (remote options)
• And - we’d argue - working HOW MUCH you want

Right now, you can work full-time (or overtime!) in SEO and probably get a decent paycheck.?

But if you aren’t able to work full time, you’re either forced out of the workforce entirely, or you become a freelancer. While seemingly glamorous on the surface, 1099 freelancers are offered notoriously worse pay and terms on average.?

It’s time SEO - and marketing technology jobs as a whole - embraced part-time roles *that actually pay what this work is worth.* Not everyone wants to be, nor is cut out to be, a freelancer. The same goes for full-time employment. Most careers in this sector are on one end of the spectrum or another.

Employers can bridge the gap by offering part-time opportunities, all while standing out in a competitive landscape.

Who Needs Flexible, Part-Time Work??

Flexible work - whether as a freelancer or part-time hire - is an attractive proposition for all walks of life. Combined with accommodating working hours, flexible employment helps establish a healthier work/life balance for many different people.?

• Parents, especially new parents and parents of special needs kids. (Moms in particular - both in general and due to pandemic conditions.)
• People with aging parents (who may need more regular, hands-on help).
• People with mental and physical health concerns, especially those with chronic, but managed health conditions.
• People going to school or pursuing extended education.??
• Literally, everyone who’s barely (mentally or physically) survived the COVID-19 pandemic and all the added burnout it has caused.

Time is a precious commodity in our short lives. The ultimate benefit of part-time work is the extra time it gives back. People have interests, needs, and obligations outside of work, and it’s high time we accommodate for that.?

Further, this list is by no means exhaustive! There are countless reasons why someone might want or need to work less than full time, and not all of those reasons need to be conveyed to or understood by employers (legally or morally.)

What Should These Roles Look Like?

Defining Non-Full-Timers can be a creative exercise in human resources. It may feel like a drastic shake-up from how role assignment is typically embraced. Generally, these roles can be categorized between freelancers and PTEs, along with considerations for each.??

Freelancers?

• Freelance roles can take many shapes, ranging from deeply-immersed contractors to intermittent, project-based support.?
• Freelancers often deserve more than just a ‘living wage.’ Rather, they deserve an hourly rate that takes into account their experience, seniority, and ability to take ownership of the work at hand.?
• Note that this isn’t just a salary divided by hours worked; you need to account for the benefits you give to employees. Freelancers also need to pay for food, bills, healthcare, ongoing education, etc.?

Part-Time Employees

• A seamless evolution from freelance roles is onboarding workers as PTEs. This next step in a working relationship can solidify greater security, trust, and transparency in the role.
• In doing so, strongly consider providing benefits (e.g. for ?-time employees, provide ? a salary for that role, including ?-time benefits, which could be partial payments for health insurance, etc.)
• Allowing for flexible working hours is a huge difference-maker in employees’ livelihood. Sure, there are certain days and times where presence and accountability are important, but the ability to work when you want is life-changing compared to traditional employment expectations.?

Freelancers with Perks

• Some creative businesses are already exploring adding benefits/perks specifically for freelancers.
• This creates a bridge between the two existing roles outlined above, to attract and attain freelancers of the highest quality.?
• Examples we’ve seen include prompt payment (no more Net 30 terms and payments in arrears - aka 60+ days to a paycheck! NO ONE enjoys this), first dibs on new potential work, promised hours, and bonuses payments (among others).

Why Should You, as a Business, Consider Offering Flexible Roles?

Now more than ever, offering flexible work opportunities can have tremendous appeal for prospective talent. In most cases, the pros heavily outweigh the cons as to why employers should create such opportunities. ?

1. Hiring Advantage/UVP

• Stand out in these “wow it’s so much harder to hire than it ever was before” times, especially with people that are just burned out and want a break, but may eventually want to scale up over time.?
• Stand out among senior knowledge workers: they want a paycheck, interesting work, and the right kind of flexibility.?

2. Retention

• Keep the employees you have now, longer, as their needs shift over time. Maybe they need to transition down to ? or ? time for a specified time, or forever. Wouldn’t you rather keep them around?
• Oftentimes with part-time roles, people can understand and focus on their role more clearly, which in turn provides the transparency needed to grow meaningfully with a company.?

3. Reduce the ebb and flow of stressful work “peaks”?

• Whether it’s seasonality or agency “EVERYONE SAID YES AT THE SAME TIME” life, work has its ebbs and flows. PTEs and freelancers working part-time schedules may be able to flex hours *up* during these peaks - when FTEs are already at their limit.?
• Similarly, PTEs who enjoy greater flexibility can oftentimes fill gaps more promptly and seamlessly versus FTEs who may be spread thin or contractors that need to be onboarded and briefed.

4. Cost?

• Don’t have the budget for a new FTE? Or an FTE as senior as you need? Consider hiring a PTE instead.?
• Providing a ?-time role with a highly-senior hire might get you further, faster.
• A part-time or freelance role can also help fill specialized work gaps more efficiently.

5. It’s the right thing to do…?

• Right now,?
• In the future,?
• For different people in different stages of life,?
• And for the future of work, where there are too many people and too few roles.?

Please do keep in mind that a move toward part-time roles shouldn’t mean under-employment.?If your hires want full-time, and you have the work, let them do it.?

But if offering part-time means you might nab the hire of your dreams… why the heck wouldn’t you??

Interested in supporting the cause? Sign our petition today!

• See who’s already interested here.

Sincerely,?

Tory Gray & Sam Torres, owners of The Gray Dot Company

Linda Ferguson, Freelancer

Dana DiTomaso & Jen Salamandick, owners of Kick Point

Mike Belasco, CEO at Inflow

Blake Denman, President & Founder at RicketyRoo

Celeste Gonzalez, RicketyRoo

Maddy Osman, The Blogsmith

Aleyda Solis, Founder Orainti and Co-Founder Remoters.net

Begum Kaya, Founder BK Solutions, strategist with The Gray Dot Company

Dan Leibson