If you’ve recently lost an employee, you’re not the only one. In what has been dubbed “The Great Resignation”, people have been leaving their jobs in droves over the past year. In April 2021 alone, a record 4 million people in the U.S. quit their jobs, according to the U.S. Labor Department. And that wasn’t the end of it — by the end of 2021, more than 38 million people had left their jobs. In the midst of this huge wave of employee turnover, employers are struggling to find the right fit for their open positions.
So why are people leaving their jobs, and what does this mean for employers? Can outsourcing play a role in filling some of these positions, either temporarily or permanently?
As a marketing agency, our answer to this second question is obviously “yes”. But let’s dig into why it’s a good idea to outsource your marketing and how outsourcing can help meet your hiring needs while keeping your company’s marketing goals on track.
For many people, working from home meant less time commuting and more time spent with family, digging into hobbies, or simply resting. In other words, a better work-life balance.
The pandemic also prompted many people to reassess their priorities, to consider what is most important to them, how valuable their time is, and whether the work they are doing is truly a good fit for their passions and skills. For others, work became overly stressful during the pandemic — as was the case for many in the hospitality, healthcare, and education fields — and it was time to make a change. Still others are hesitant to return to work in person due to ongoing concerns about COVID.
As a result, many people are choosing to quit their jobs in search of greater flexibility, more pay, less stress, or a more fulfilling career...or, in some cases, all of the above. And this trend is expected to continue. Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index predicted that 41 percent of the global workforce would consider leaving their current employer that year. And their 2022 report notes that “53% of employees are more likely to prioritize health and wellbeing over work than before the pandemic.”
In the midst of this huge employee shift, how can you attract (and keep) the best employees?
But this also means that the best talent out there has more options than they once did: people no longer have to leave their homes to expand their careers. With a buffet of opportunity available to them, employees have a chance to sample various positions and careers to find one that best fits their skills and passions. This means that, in order to snag the best employees, employers need to stay competitive.
A few things to consider as you recruit for your open positions:
Flexibility is key, and remote or hybrid work (with some days spent at the office and some working from home) is not a passing fad. If you’re not offering at least a hybrid option, you’re behind the curve.
Virtual recruiting and hiring are key aspects of offering remote or hybrid positions. Over the past two years, many companies found that not only does a virtual hiring process work, it’s easy to do and cost effective. However, it can be more time consuming than an in-person process, so some companies have begun using a hybrid recruiting option, with a mix of virtual and in-person aspects.
Employee expectations have changed over the past year. With many employees leaving their jobs in search of less stressful, more fulfilling careers, the best leaders will empathize with the unique needs of their employees and strive to recognize the importance that flexibility and work-life balance play in making their work experience a fulfilling one.
In other words, it’s in your best interest to consider ways to reduce strain on your employees and create more sustainable working conditions. For example, consider this study out of Iceland where the majority of the workforce reduced their weekly work hours from 40 to 35 or 36 without a reduction in pay — and reported being more energized, less stressed, and, notably, more productive.
Consider ways you can implement greater connection among your team, such as a chat option like Slack or Google chat, tacking 15 minutes of casual hangout time onto your weekly virtual team meeting, instituting regular one-on-one employee meetings with management, and so on. Connection can still happen in a remote work environment, but it must be intentional.
These things can help you attract and retain the best employees to fill your open positions. But if you are struggling to fill a marketing position and have been unable to find that one perfect fit who is an expert in all things marketing, there is another option to consider: outsource your marketing to a marketing agency.
Rather than hiring one person to fulfill all of your marketing needs, consider the benefits of hiring a marketing agency instead. When you outsource to an agency, you get:
In addition, when you outsource to an agency, you get back the time you would normally spend onboarding and training a new employee. With a marketing agency, you have a well-trained team ready to dive into your marketing strategy — no training necessary.
You can’t afford to let your marketing slide while you search for the right employee to fill an open position. Temporarily outsourcing your marketing will allow you to stay on track with your marketing goals while you continue the search for the right in-house employee. And when you do hire, your marketing agency can help get your new employee up to date on your marketing strategy so there is no lapse during the transition.
Alternatively, consider outsourcing as a tool to complement the skills of your new hire or current staff. A marketing agency can fill in the gaps, taking care of the tasks your in-house staff isn’t skilled at. Having an agency by your side in this way may even make hiring in-house staff easier, since you won’t need to rely on one employee to fill all of your marketing needs.
Whether you are looking to outsource your marketing temporarily or permanently, partially or fully, the team at Wild Fig Marketing has you covered.
When you outsource to Wild Fig, all of these resources are at your disposal...not to mention the extensive knowledge and experience of our staff.
Ready to learn more about how Wild Fig can help you reach your marketing goals and solve your hiring dilemma? Schedule your FREE 30-minute strategy session here!
If you’re still not sure if outsourcing is the right fit for you, download our complimentary eBook to learn more about the benefits of outsourcing your marketing, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions.