We’re over two years into the pandemic.
Yet drive through downtown in most cities (and even rural towns), and you’ll see them…
“Now hiring” and “help wanted” signs on practically every block, law firm social media post, and digital job site!
So what’s going on? Why are business owners of all kinds (including law offices) still struggling to find and retain employees?
Here are three reasons for this ongoing labor shortage.
Reason #1: Simply working a J-O-B isn’t good enough.
Pre-pandemic, a lot of people weren’t satisfied with their jobs, but they weren’t willing to act on it. These days, that’s no longer the case.
With so many job opportunities out there, and businesses competing for quality employees who will actually stick around for more than a month, people have more choices, and they’re on the hunt for a fulfilling career where they feel valued.
Reason #2: Flexibility.
Many businesses shut down during the pandemic, but most didn’t have to implement remote work in order to stay afloat.
It was rocky at first, but people got used to the flexibility of working from home, and enjoyed not having the commute to work.
Remote work is no longer necessary for most businesses, yet a lot of employees don’t want to give up the flexibility, which means finding jobs where they can continue remote work (or even starting their own business in order to avoid a J-O-B altogether).
What’s more, many people lost their jobs in the pandemic. For some, their employer downsized, or went out of business.
For others, they refused to comply with vaccine mandates, so were let go.
However it happened, losing their job left an impression…one that’s fueling their motivation to keep searching for fulfilling, flexible work with more pay and more benefits.
Reason #3: Feeling unsafe.
It’s not just the pandemic that caused people to feel “threatened.” Months of uncertainty made its mark, and as a whole, people are less trusting in the day-to-day certainties they relied on pre-pandemic…certainties like their employment status.
They’re less trusting of employers, and less willing to tolerate jobs that aren’t satisfying or certain. Plus, because they’re not included in the company vision or any of the planning, there’s no reason (in their minds) for them to stick around and care about the job. The writing is on the wall, as far as they’re concerned.
All this has made it difficult for employers to find, and especially, retain, good employees.
And if you’re a partner in a law office, and you need an admin who can do their job consistently, do it well, and will stick around for more than two weeks, going about it “the usual way” doesn’t work anymore.
If you’re a law office admin, you have a tremendous opportunity to secure an excellent, well-paying, fulfilling, and impactful career where your contribution matters, especially when you bring THE critical skill sets most law office admins lack.
Very soon I’m going to tell you more about these critical skill sets…so whether you’re an admin looking to secure a fulfilling, top-notch career, or you’re a firm owner or leader who needs high-performing admins that don’t need to be micro-managed, stay tuned.
In your corner,
Molly
