Valued at over $4 trillion in 2018, the wellness industry has brought a monetary and mainstream focus to health, fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being. The industry has recently been critiqued for straying away from actual health in favor of trends, like adding yoga and meditation to everyone’s repertoire even if those practices might not be the right fit for all individuals.

While plenty of folks have turned to alternative medicine and “holistic” practitioners when western medicine lacked answers, or more likely affordability, many people still lack the very baseline of health: financial stability, access to affordable healthcare, and work life balance. I spoke with Sarah-Valin Bloom, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, last month to discuss the ways companies can create better environments and support structure for their employees and contractors beyond throwing in a yoga class here and there.

When I brought up the above meme, she added “meditation is awesome but it’s a program,” as opposed to an actual tenant of wellness.

The TL;DR when it comes to incorporating wellness in the workplace lies with a few core practices:

• fair financial compensation
• comprehensive benefits
• cultivating a “culture of wellness” — explained in more detail belo

Benefits provide the infrastructure to support the culture. Financial stability cultivates the peace of mind. That gives you a solid foundation for wellness before you even step onto a yoga mat. She also emphasized that diversity, equity, and inclusion are an integral part of wellness, asking, “how is there psychological safety in a place where you don’t belong?” And the best way to implement these practices according to Valin-Bloom? “You have to lead by example.”

To dive deeper, here’s an edited (for length) transcript of our conversation. All emphases mine.

ALESSANDRA CALDERIN: In your experience, what is, first and foremost, the most important thing for a company to implement in order to be able to say they care about wellness? (In contrast to “just do yoga,” for example.)

SARAH-VALIN BLOOM: I think first and foremost, it’s important to recognize that wellness programming isn’t yoga. Things like yoga and meditation are great, but that’s not wellness. Wellness is something that is all encompassing. [It’s really important] to create a culture of wellness, but you can’t have that if you don’t have the basic, fundamental building blocks to build that culture upon.

Benefits are the number one thing, in my mind. You want to make sure that if you are saying, “we care about your well-being,” that you are offering the people you employ benefits that cover healthcare, that cover mental healthcare, that support things like childcare, and other necessities. Benefits don’t have to end at medical and dental coverage.

There are a lot of things that you can put in place to support employees. EAPs are a great example of it. Employee Assistance Programs can offer access to free therapy services, for example. Usually, a company will contract to provide a certain number of sessions, but EAPs can also do so much more. There are EAPs that can help your employees connect with somebody to provide childcare, or a handyperson to come in and fix things, or somebody to help clean their house. These services make the stresses and burdens that everybody has to deal with at various levels, easier.

AC: Let’s say a company wants to do that, but they have budgetary restrictions. What is the hierarchy of what must come first?

SVB: Obviously, there are benefits that companies are more obligated to provide like health insurance coverage. If budgetary restrictions are a barrier to additional benefits, employers should consider developing programs internally to support, bolster, and supplement the benefits they do offer. It’s complicated. Obviously, finances for a business are always what things come down to. Unfortunately, the bottom line is the bottom line, and if you can’t afford to do certain things, it can be limiting. But if you’re going to think about the way you’re allocating funds, and you really do want to encourage wellness, you have to thoughtfully invest in resources for your employees and get creative when developing programming internally.

AC: And if you’re explaining to a company why this is beneficial to their bottom line, how do you do that?

SVB: There are two issues. There are people, and then there are functions. The bottom line at the end of the day: Businesses need to meet the expectations of their customers. If they’ve promised customers a specific ROI, they want to know they are delivering on that ROI. They want to see productivity. That return is the result or the function; the work being done. But the reality is that those functions are being completed by humans. By people. And if people are not taken care of, if people are unwell in some way, be it mental or physical, it’s going to impact their ability to perform in their role and deliver what is being asked of them.

It is the reality for all of us, as human beings. If we are not okay, or if we are functioning at less than 100%, then the output is not going to be what it would be otherwise. We are less able to take care of other people. We are less able to take care of ourselves. It’s something that we all have to learn at some point. As a therapist, I think it’s learned more explicitly — you must learn how to take care of yourself if you are expected to hold space and help others.

But the same rules apply in any job. If you are not well, then you’re just not going to do the same kind of work, and it’s not going to be sustainable. Pushing through without addressing your mental health leads to burnout or compassion fatigue (if you’re working in a helping profession). People need to be taken care of. Part of that is the responsibility of the individual — to know when they need something or what they might need. But there’s also a big responsibility on the employer, not only to offer benefits, but to encourage employees to use them. For example, there are many companies who offer unlimited paid time off, which is incredible. What a wonderful benefit to offer your employees. But not everybody knows when to take time off, and they will work themselves into the ground until they hit a wall.

So, when companies offer benefits like unlimited paid time off, having leaders and managers who encourage employees to take advantage of it is invaluable and key to preventing things like burnout. This ensures that people are taking adequate time off regularly, whether it be mental health days when needed or a week off in a particular quarter. There should be a minimum of expectation for time off, and those things should be made very explicit by managers. Oftentimes companies that offer unlimited paid time off also have very high performing, very driven employees, and they’re much less likely to take advantage of that.

AC: It seems like the culture at a lot of companies that offer unlimited PTO is that no one take it. It’s like a competition.

SVB: I think competition can be part of it, but I think it’s more about the culture that we live in. In the US, there’s this concept where you put your head down, you get your work done, and you work, work, work. Whereas if you live in other parts of the world, people are not living to work, they are working to live.

I was recently talking to a colleague of mine who was saying that he worked at the same company in two different countries. The benefits were the same, but the way you were encouraged, or sometimes discouraged, to use those benefits was felt deeply. It made it feel like a different company even though everything was technically the same.

This highlights something I talk about all the time, which is a “culture of wellness.” Although our work culture is not necessarily oriented in that way, as an employer, you have an opportunity and responsibility to cultivate a culture of wellness. It’s the responsibility of leadership, management, and the responsibility of everybody to uphold that. If you’re going to offer benefits and programming and espouse certain things, you must stand behind them and encourage utilization.

AC: Which countries were the best?

SVB: Specifically, we were talking about the UK and Europe. The idea of working part-time or a four-day work week, is not unheard of. Taking an entire month off may even be acceptable. We are just not oriented in that way. That’s not the way we built “work” in the US.

I believe now, more than ever, there’s this opportunity in that world to make changes. COVID has forced us to reimagine and reevaluate how we do things. Even larger companies are starting to reevaluate things COVID has completely changed the game and the conversation.

AC: So even with things like benefits and paid time off, we have these devices [gestures to smart phone] that are attached to us 24/7. Our employers have constant access to us, and a lot of the time people feel pressure to respond to everything that comes in — and respond immediately. What have you been working on with people to figure out how to set boundaries and manage expectations?

SVB: I think you said it perfectly. Setting boundaries is so important. And that can look very different for different people. When people started to work from home full-time because of the pandemic, there was this feeling of working 24/7. On and connected all the time because you never technically left the office; the office was now at home.

AC: What are some solutions to that?

SVB: Become aware and begin to make an effort and take the steps to set the boundaries that you need. The things that work for you. For example, set a time of day to turn your computer off.

If you have a separate workspace, use that exclusively as your workspace and then leave it at the end of the day.

For other people who don’t have the luxury of a separate workspace, turn your computer off, turn off notifications on your phone at a certain time so that you are really not available.

Let your team know if there is something urgent that they need, obviously they can text message you or call you, but outside of that, you won’t be checking emails or taking meetings after a certain time.

Blocking off time throughout the workday for self-care is also incredibly important. Part of that is understanding what self-care looks like for an individual. What self-care is for them, how that fits into their day, committing to it, and then scheduling it.

So, in the same way you turn your computer off at a certain time, you also have a time block set to go outside for a walk or run. To do something that is replenishing. And to really honor that as protected time.

Going back to the culture piece, you have to live and lead by example. All of these changes come from leadership. For example, if your manager is blocking time on their calendar for self-care, and they call it out as that, they are setting an example. Whether that’s therapy, going for a run, stretching, taking their dog for a long walk, whatever that looks like for them. If it’s public knowledge, it makes it okay for the people who report to them to do the same. It sets a tone, it sets an example, and it opens the conversation without even having to have the conversation.

So, when that manager sees somebody struggling or sees somebody having a tough time, it makes the conversation easier. Asking someone about how they are taking care of themselves is not asking anyone to do something you yourself have not committed to.

You can say:

Hey, how are you doing?
Are you taking care of yourself?
Are you taking time out for yourself throughout the day?
I want to make sure that you’re doing those things.
I block time on my calendar, I want to make sure you feel comfortable blocking time on your calendar if that’s what works.

Obviously, everybody’s work circumstance is different. For example, some people work on a shift and don’t have the luxury of blocking out time, but there are other things that may be able to be implemented around that.

AC: What about when it comes to freelancers and those in the gig economy? Have you worked with anyone who works under those circumstances? What are solutions to that? What are things employers can offer them?

SVB: When employers are thinking about benefits for employees, coming up with things that are accessible to contracted employees is really important.

For example, programs that are developed internally can often be easily offered to or accessed by contracted employees. Depending on the nature of the contract, the work, and the expectations, contracted employees may also be able to block some time out. Setting reasonable deadlines as a project manager is important. Don’t be your own worst enemy in scheduling your time, you have control over it.

Again, I think it ties back to the way we approach work culturally. The idea that “I have 8 hours in my day but I’m going to get 16 hours of work done” is something that is far too common. That’s not sustainable for anybody. It’s like running a machine 24/7 with no break. Eventually that machine is just going to break down. And we are not machines. But I think it’s a fair metaphor. Because nothing, even a machine, can operate sustainably for extended periods of time without care.

About the author.
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed.

It’s weird, painful, and simply surreal to think that it has been a whole year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. While it had been ravaging the globe for months, for Americans, March 13, 2020, marked a truly significant moment. It was the day the White House officially declared a state of emergency. For many, it was the day they started working remotely if their job allowed them to. At the time, 40 people had died, and around 1700 cases were confirmed, an eerie number to reflect on in light of the 29 million cases and 529,000 deaths we have suffered since.

It has been a year of devastation and loss and suffering, and it’s also been a year that has shown us just how strong and united we can really be, even 6 feet or thousands of miles apart. The pandemic has completely changed how we shop, how we eat, how we travel (or don’t travel), how we entertain ourselves, and most of all, how we work.

Losses and Gains

There has been a seismic shift in labor and how we work over the last year, that has revealed to us just how secure certain industries are, and just how precarious others are. The leisure and hospitality industries, particularly food service lost 7.7 million jobs in the first couple months alone. Education services, health services, and retail industries were also among the hardest hit, as their work primarily relies on close, in person duties. These huge losses have prompted important conversations about sustainability and valuing work, with some in the restaurant industry giving more thought to relaunching businesses as worker-owned cooperatives to empower workers and ensure more stability in the industry.

While there were losses across all industries, many industries were able to continue through the industries, and we’re seeing a shift in the fastest growing jobs, that speak volumes about our shifting world. As we’ve pointed out before, demand for e-commerce specialists, branding and marketing strategists, and UX researchers has exploded. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, jobs in the medical industry such as registered nurses, medical managers, and nurse practitioners are in increasingly high demand—which seems like a direct response to the pandemic. On the other hand general and operations managers, financial managers, and analysts are also on the rise, as people are reconfiguring how business will work going forward.

Marketing research analysts, and content creators are a fast growing occupation as we’ve had to reconfigure how to market and communicate with each other remotely. And fun fact, career coaches and therapists are on the rise—for what seem like pretty obvious reasons after the year that we’ve had.

Home is the New Office

Of course one of the biggest shifts in work has been working from home. This change in workplace setting has forced folks to find creative ways to make room for an office in their own homes (in my case, working from home meant working in the kitchen). Our bookshelves became our backgrounds, our pets and family members became mini celebrities who made cameos, and we all became fluent in, “Oh! No, sorry! No, you go first.”

42% of the US labor force is now working from home with twice as many working from home as they are working on premises, and remote job searches on LinkedIn shot up 60%. For so many, WFH has been a blessing, a way to stay safe and keep a job. And despite some stigma associated with working from home, we didn’t see a loss of productivity. In fact productivity went up 13%. Technologies like Zoom, Slack, and others allowed us to stay connected and stay on top of work despite the distance. They also allowed for makeshift happy hours to retain a sense of normalcy.

A study (conducted by Slack) found that only 12% of respondents wanted to return to full-time work, though that’s not to say that people want to stay at home forever. 72% would like the option of a hybrid model that allows for both working from home and the ability to come into an office to work and of course socialize with their coworkers.

Despite the flexibility that working from home has offered, we’ve learned that WFH is not for everyone. And there has been a huge downside, which is really the downside of the pandemic as a whole: social isolation. And of course, it’s important to point out that as more people work from home, those working in sectors that support office work and the commute (transportation, food service, maintenance, etc), are also vulnerable.

Who Gets to Work From Home?

But working from home has also revealed huge inequalities in how we work—and who gets to work.

According to Pew, 62% of folks who can work from home have at least a bachelor’s degree, whereas only 23% of those without one can do so. Lower-income workers face the double whammy of not being able to work as home as much and having to face a higher risk of being exposed to COVID. On top of that, access to internet and tech has played a big role in this divide, and while 82% of white people have access to a desktop or laptop computer, only 58% of Black people and 57% of Latinx people do.

The pandemic has also taken a huge toll on women in the workplace, particularly women with children. Women suffered 1.8 times the amount of job losses as men. And as Melinda Gates pointed out, that doesn’t even take into account the unpaid and/or domestic labor women typically take on, writing, “Of course, the paid and unpaid economies are intimately connected. (One is a lot more visible, but it’s built on top of the other!) The unpaid work women do is one of the biggest barriers they face to reaching their potential in the workforce.”

Stronger Relationships

As we reconcile how we were and work to create more equitable working environments (Did I mention there was increased demand for diversity and inclusion professionals? Because there is!), it’s also a great opportunity to think about the progress we’ve made and the lessons we’ve learned over the last year. We have learned that it’s important now more than ever to have strong relationships and connections with our colleagues. Anyone who has had the good fortune of starting a new job in the pandemic is well aware of how difficult it is to keep up or get to know folks, so it’s also important to reach out to each other.

It’s also extremely important to remind ourselves that we have been living through a historic global pandemic. We’ve been surrounded by a lot of despair and loss and trauma that we probably won’t even fully process for a while because, you know, we’re still living it.

For those struggling with feeling unproductive or stuck at work, be kind to yourself. Not feeling motivated is a very natural response to going on, and it’s important to listen to your body. Take breaks, get outside, change up your work space (and if possible keep it as separate as possible from your living space), and stay in touch with loved ones.

And if you’re like me and will drag out work because you are (I am) easily distracted by the internet, try setting a timer for increments of 20-30 minutes to focus and then take a lap or drink some water or watch an ASMR video or a SNL Cast Members Breaking Character Compilation (whatever your vice is).

It’s hard to live through history especially when we’re forced to be isolated from one another. Be kind to yourself and each other.

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About the author.
Sam Mani writes about work, creativity, wellness, and equity — when she’s not cooking, binging television, or annoying her cat.

When it comes to creative work, we often want to consume it without paying for it. From pirating media to paying for design and copy work in “exposure,” society tends to devalue creative work monetarily. But what would our world look like without good design?

Probably like the internet of the 90s. Do you really want that?

While those were simpler times in many ways, they were an aesthetic nightmare to navigate through. We have moved way past those blunders of yesteryear. Now, we’re much more conscious of the importance of looks and intuition when it comes to moving through the web — or the mall. From user experience to graphic design, we all make judgments about companies, products, and services based on the design surrounding them; in the real (non-online) world, we notice product design, billboards, storefronts, layout, experience, and all those factors influence our purchases.

In a 2018 survey, 48% of consumers said that design is the most important factor in determining a website’s credibility. I would wager a guess that at least some of the other 52% still find design important, but simply have other credibility requirements as their priority.

In a Rice Media piece, Julian Wong explores the value of creative work by breaking down the cost of running a small creative agency and then equating the study and experience of a designer to that of a locksmith or lawyer. Because we don’t intrinsically value creative work financially, many comparisons relate the labor of creativity to that of other professions. Culturally, we have this idea that creative work is always fun. I assure you, it is not.

So, what is the value of creative work? Well, as a matter of fact, it’s quite a lot.

Branding + Graphic Design

When it comes to branding design, the big-ticket item is going to be the logo. These seemingly simple icons or letter-based images can range from tens of dollars for a pre-made template to thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars for a fully fleshed out brand identity package.

Branding is the backbone of any company’s visual identity. Instagram, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Sony, Nike, Apple, KFC, Disney. Can you not instantly conjure these logos in your mind’s eye? That’s good branding.

So, what is the price of being memorable? Actually, it varies.

Google and Coca-Cola paid $0 for their logos, while Pepsi paid $1 million and Accenture paid $100 million. So, what’s the deal?

Google used open-source graphics. Coca-Cola had an in-house employee with great handwriting. Not everyone else is as lucky. And since then, even companies that paid nothing for logos have put millions into supplemental design elements.

Going beyond the logo, I could point you to a 2004-2014 study that discovered design driven companies outperform the S&P by 219% over 10 years. (This trend continued in 2015.) This means companies that have elements of good design woven into their business operation makes over 2x as much as those who don’t. Some stats taken straight from that analysis include:

• 41% higher market share
• 46% competitive advantage overall
• 50% more loyal customers
• 70% digital experiences beat competitors

That’s a pretty good value argument, if the sheer pleasure of feasting your eyes on something pretty or sleek or clever isn’t enough.

User Experience + User Interface

A lot of modern business is about creative problem-solving that makes life easier for the average consumer. Facebook, Google, Uber, Airbnb, all have one thing in common. Their apps and websites are extremely intuitive and easy to navigate. With the internet, if your solution is hard to get to, your customers can easily go elsewhere to get what they need. Competitors that can’t provide that ease of use die a slow painful death, like MySpace. In other words, investing in UX is a matter of survival.

While UX may dip into the science side, it blends seamlessly into user interface, where those interactive touch points are given a certain aesthetic that encourages users to play or purchase. The size of a button, the color, the contrast — all these elements interact to scientifically and aesthetically draw in your target audience.

Still not convinced? The Bressler Group found that the ROI on good UI includes:

• increased sales
• reduced return rates
• reduced support costs
• better product reviews
• reduced development costs

The more money you put in, the more exponential that ROI becomes, especially as consumers continue to purchase more from devices.

Copywriting + Messaging

A picture is worth a thousand words, but good words are worth a lot, too. Just like you want your logo and brand design to show off your company’s value and style, you want your tone and messaging to speak to your audience in a way that encourages relationship building. As a consumer, I want companies to speak my language and understand me. Whether through clever tweets, informative newsletters, or websites, you have the opportunity to win consumers over by striking the right tone.

Beyond the delightful flourish of well-constructed sentences, copywriters that can infuse SEO keywords get your products and pages noticed by the search engine gods.

Just as a logo, your design aesthetic and a seamless user experience can boost ROI, so too, can a well-crafted bit of copy.

Maybe Art School or a BA in English Isn’t So Useless After All…

Creatives make our world a more pleasant place to live in. If you’re in the business of convincing people to buy things, even if they are amazing practical things, showing the value of your product, whether digital or physical, can be made much easier with the right design and messaging in place.

The best creatives can mix practicality with creativity. They just need the space — and the financial incentive — to work well with you.

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About the author.
Alessandra is the mentor, educator, and writer behind Boneseed, a private practice devoted to deep self-inquiry through a range of physical, energetic, and mental modalities. She has over 500 hours of yoga, mentorship, and facilitation training and can be found slinging knowledge on her website, newsletter, and @bone.seed.

 

We just collectively lived through a year where “unprecedented” was the People’s Choice Word of the Year.

And while we are still in the thick of it, the business community is planning for the pivotal year ahead. Consumer behavior has changed in, yes, unprecedented ways, and business-as-usual looks far different today than it did just a year ago.

Here’s a quick look at how quickly the landscape has evolved:

• 56% of consumers tried a new retailer during the pandemic
• E-commerce sales reigned supreme, growing 40.3% to reach a whopping $839 billion in sales in 2020
• Brick-and-mortar sales fell by 14% to $4.184 trillion, and it may take 5 years of sales to catch up to pre-pandemic levels.

Many companies had to rewrite their business playbook and learn new strategies on the fly as a result of all the tumult of 2020. “Brand loyalty has been disrupted as consumers experiment with other retailers amid uncertain circumstances,” said Amit Sharma, founder and CEO of Narvar, an intelligent customer engagement platform. And businesses that hope to survive will need to raise their metabolic rate — the speed at which they process information and are able to develop new offerings. We are in the midst of a digital transformation and organizations that hope to successfully make it to the flip side need to prepare. Now.

Certain roles have taken on new ascendancy, because they are crucial for business success in this fast-evolving economy. Creative Circle did a comprehensive, peer-reviewed study of the changes this past year brought to hiring and predictions as to which of these trends will be with us in 2021 (and perhaps, beyond).

Here’s a look at the jobs that are defining and paving the way forward.

E-Commerce Specialist

It perhaps comes as no surprise that this role has grown exponentially from 2019 to 2020. Our study of year-over-year growth showed that hiring for e-commerce specialists was hot. With a 38% increase in demand, it’s clear how deeply digital transformation has revolutionized business across sectors.

Here’s why e-commerce specialists have become such critical members of so many business teams. As experts in online sales strategies (and the key platforms used to drive online sales, like websites, social media, email campaigns, and sales funnels) — they analyze and set strategy for e-commerce. Their detail-oriented mindset helps them understand and interpret sales metrics and other forms of data analytics to help guide new marketing strategies.

E-commerce is in an unprecedented period of growth and a good specialist is nimble enough to evolve along with it. Responsibilities include monitoring day-to-day activity on the company site and tracking overall performance to ensure a smooth customer experience and amplifying brand loyalty — resulting in web traffic growth, and ultimately, an increase in sales. Executing ad campaigns on search engines and optimizing websites, including managing site development and updates, are also key parts of the role — along with working cross-functionally to aggregate necessary content to promote all product or service offerings.

Our research shows that e-commerce specialists make anywhere from $55,055 to north of $150,150, depending on experience level.

Brand and Marketing Strategist

Our study of year-over-year growth showed that branding and marketing specialists were increasingly in high demand. With a 34% increase in demand, this key role has become even more critical when navigating these unprecedented times.

These creative professionals are responsible for leading the brand strategies and marketing campaigns for a company. By providing brand direction, they help develop and execute marketing programs, and are the vanguard ensuring brand consistency across channels. By reviewing market research, they are able to anticipate industry and competitive trends, and translate consumer behavior and attitudes into new branding directions.

Brand and marketing strategists oversee sales, pricing, product development, and product supply to meet key strategic objectives. Compelling storytelling, expert relationship management, and strong verbal and written communication skills are paramount.

Our research shows that branding and marketing strategists make anywhere from

$70,070 to north of $145,145, depending on experience level.

UX (User Experience) Researcher

Our study of year-over-year growth showed that UX researchers were increasingly in high demand. We saw a 16% growth in demand, illustrating just how essential user experience is in an increasingly digital world.

You might be wondering what a UX researcher does. Take an anthropologist, sociologist, and marketing specialist, shake them together, and boom — you get a UX researcher. These creative professionals are tasked with figuring out what motivates someone to buy a product and use it. In order to figure that out, they design, conduct, and analyze user design research and usability testing.

As the job title suggests, UX researchers are focused on all things research. With a comprehensive understanding of the business, they conduct research with actual users of a product or service, gathering both quantitative and qualitative data into how they think, feel, and behave — and then share these insights with the product development team to help all involved better understand the target audience so that a cohesive user-centric design plan can be made.

Day-to-day, UX researchers plan and conduct discovery interviews, concept and usability testing, contextual inquiry, and more. They set the scope of each study, along with research objectives, and recruit appropriate participants. Following a user research session, the data will be analyzed and translated into actionable insights and product recommendations — and will actively participate in creating user personas and customer journey maps with the rest of the user experience team.­­

In our increasingly digital world, businesses need to ramp up their understanding of what people want, how they want those experiences or products delivered, and how to make that as friction-less as possible.

UX researchers’ recommendations are grounded in multi-disciplinary insights and drive results. By taking the guesswork out of the design process, they ensure that the product team is making data-informed product decisions.

Our research shows that UX researchers make anywhere from $65,065 to north of $180,180, depending on experience level.

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An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist — Karina writes, edits, and produces compelling content across multiple platforms — including articles, video, interactive tools, and documentary film. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties.

All of the job candidates have been interviewed. The long list whittled down to the short and then to the best two contenders for a competitive full-time payroll position. The time has come to make the last decision. So far, this describes a fairly standard sequence of events. However, something differs this time. One of the finalists is a freelancer. Should that matter?

Let’s examine this issue from both sides — hiring manager and freelancer under consideration — and, in the process, write a page for the employment playbook. We’ll call it “The Case for Offering a Freelancer a Full-Time Staff Role.” On the company end, it’s about why to go this route. And for freelancers, it’s the same probe and how to land the job.

Perhaps you’re wondering: why raise this matter in the first place? The reason for it flows from both reality and perception. Fact: there are all kinds of bias in the workplace. One is about bringing freelancers on as employees. Hiring managers may wrestle with: are freelancers suitable for full-time slots rather than gigs? Is their work ethic and experience on par with our expectations? For the sake of ease, they may opt for the straightforward approach — hire a traditional employee for a full-time post. This response doesn’t take into account changes that have occurred in the marketplace and career options. What’s more, decision makers may be unfamiliar with the wide scope of activities and advantages a freelancer may possess. By taking the seemingly path of least resistance, they may miss out on incredible work and other critical success factors.

Freelancers stand to lose a lot when coming up against this predisposition too. It accounts for why they often have a hard time making headway when they decide to pivot to permanent staff positions.

Faced with this predicament: what are hiring managers and freelancers to do?

Why to Employ a Freelancer: Take Inventory

Step 1
Understand the breadth and role of freelancing in our society. Freelancing is a major, highly reputable mode of work. How much so? Freelancers Union delved into this proposition. Its most recent study, “Freelancing in America: 2020,” reported that an estimated 57 million people freelanced during the year. An inconsequential number this is not. This segment represents 35% of the workforce. In addition, freelancing as a whole contributes about $1 trillion to the economy; that’s equivalent to 5% of GDP.

Step 2
Clear the slate of misconceptions about freelancing and freelancers. Why is this important? As suggested, freelancing in some circles carries a stigma. There are those who consider it second tier — a less prestigious career path than employee status. “Debunking Myths About Freelancers” addresses this mindset head-on and point by point.

• Example: Some people think freelancers are working this way because they can’t find permanent jobs. Not so. Freelancing is, by and large, not thrust upon practitioners; instead, they choose it for various reasons, such as wanting to control their work life. To this end, more than 60% of freelancers opt to work for themselves of their own accord.
• Another: Freelancers pursue this path because they don’t want to work hard. Wrong again. Freelancing for a living is challenging and competitive. Those in this space need to vie against others for projects as well as keep clients satisfied and coming back.
• One more: Freelancers are not dependable and won’t complete projects as stipulated. Not true at all. Freelancers must honor agreements; otherwise, they will lose clients and their business will fail. They must live up to their promises as agreed upon.

These and other negative impressions do not hold true. And the proper views translate into abundant checks in the plus column for welcoming a freelancer job applicant to come aboard.

Step 3
Assess the universe of benefits that a freelancer may bestow. In many situations, those who have decided to cross over into permanent job status present the right blend of skills and then some. What are those sought-after qualities?

Extensive range of experience and expertise

Freelancers typically have a diversified book of business. They take on assignments for clients in different industries, stages of development, and geographies. They learn a lot in the course of their work. Perhaps they have acquired deep knowledge in a sector(s) or a smattering in many. They may engage with clients that have a business-to-business (B2B) focus, others in business-to-consumer (B2C), yet others in direct to consumer (D2C), and government too. They may know the lay of the land in one of these marketplaces, several, or all. They are astute about stakeholders, needs, targeting tactics, and terminology. And they have the wherewithal to navigate the landscape. Some freelancers arrived at this status through layoffs, reorgs, and other corporate actions. Those in this category may come from your industry or client base. Their expansive background may qualify them as a valuable asset.

Business acumen and breadth

Freelancers are in business — their own business. They likely do it all, from marketing their wares, strategizing, researching leads and pursuing opportunities, costing out projects, submitting proposals, invoicing, managing accounts, budgeting, paying bills, getting supplies, and lots more. They come equipped with these skills and may apply them, as needed, to your agenda right from the get go. They are, in essence, entrepreneurs; as such, they have a business mindset and capabilities to propose ideas, fresh perspectives, alternatives, and workarounds along the way. As part of their routine, freelancers network and have honed that attitude and behavior. They know how to reach out and interact with people at all levels, which is a helpful trait in any workplace. Freelancers must display professionalism and politeness; this, in turn, represents a range of skills that would be advantageous to most employers and teams.

High quality output and productivity    

To maintain and grow their business, freelancers turn out excellent work on demand, which aligns with their clients’ directions, goals, budget, and timeline. They must collaborate and cooperate, be readily available, and eager to please. The most successful in their field anticipate emerging needs and go above and beyond. The deliver consistently and do what’s required to hit and exceed the mark, focusing on the task at hand and making their clients look good. As such, freelancers are flexible and motivated to fulfill the wish lists of those they serve. To produce well-honed work and achieve high standards, freelancers perform research as a way of life; they must exert effort to be informed and stay on top of their assignments, area(s) of expertise, and movements in the marketplace. Plus, they have to keep a constant eye on the competition. Wouldn’t a person like this be a worthy addition to your staff?

The 3 R’s: Responsibility, resourcefulness, and rigor   

Freelancers merit an upper case “R” for responsibility. They plan and organize their work life to make deadlines, careful to balance the items on their agenda. They know how to juggle; it’s both an art and science. Since freelancers work independently, they must make the most of what they have at their disposal. That means learning about offerings and outlets for the things that enhance efficiency and effectiveness. This takes initiative, patience, and the ability to make decisions quickly and decisively. In the midst of running a business, freelancers need to attend to projects that are due and those to come. They frequently don’t have the luxury of completing one assignment before reeling in another. For that reason, they must fill the pipeline to maintain the flow of work and money coming in. Bonus R: in light of all they have to do, freelancers are resilient.

Time management, communication, and multiplicity of other skills

Masters of time management — that’s a mark of success for a freelancer. They set priorities and pivot to address issues that pop up. To focus, they must sustain a positive outlook even in trying situations. They deal with criticism constructively and accept accountability for their actions through tactful and clear communication. On that note, freelancers communicate via multiple means — verbally as well as through email, text, social media, and Zoom at this time and going forward. That requires staying up-to-date on communication protocol, including apps and automation. Freelancers have to mount technical challenges to incorporate what’s new on the scene used by a critical mass. They know the digital world and venues of importance to their clients and their own business. Growing and learning are constants. And since they work remotely, they thrive during the pandemic on their own and for others. All of this is emblematic of a freelancer’s life and, by extension, a recipe for desirable employee.

Step 4
Interview freelancers carefully, as you would other candidates. Inquire about how they would approach certain situations. Also address any misgivings you may have through behavioral type questions. Ask for samples and review them closely. Similarly, get a number of references and check them. Discuss not only work, but also working relationships, strengths, and shortcomings.

Freelancers: Traverse the Transition

Step 1
Come to terms with this career move because it’s a big one. Think it through. You have a lot of soul searching to do before applying for and accepting a full-time job. Are you certain you want to change your status? Why, why, why? The article entitled “4 Questions to Help You Decide Between Accepting a Full-Time Offer or Keeping Your Freelance Freedom” addresses this issue.

A primary aspect to consider is financial. But weigh the pros and the cons. That is, with receiving a regular paycheck, possibly making more money, and scoring benefits comes tradeoffs. The latter includes less convenience, the need to commute as well as cover other expenses.

Another element of importance is to know yourself and your goals — both career and personal. Essentially, this is age-old question at any age or juncture: what do you want to be when you grow up?

Understand exactly why you started freelancing and what it would mean to give it up. If this analysis suggests you make the change, the thoughts you’ve uncovered in the process serve a prized purpose. They will provide the fuel to power your move and the insights to present to a potential employer.

Step 2
Play offense and defense. Start with: what is motivating you to change your work pattern from freelance to full-time staff? Address this clearly, succinctly, and convincingly. Similar to a client pursuit, learn about the company and how your experience applies to help it meet its goals. Discover what you can about the hiring manager and team in advance of speaking. On the other end, identify what you’re up against in this space. Know possible objections to hiring a freelancer and come prepared to refute them thoughtfully and persuasively. How would you acclimate to working in a staff role? This area of inquiry pertains to crossing over in general and as well as to a specific organization.

Step 3
Go into sales mode and two-way thinking. Have examples ready to share about relevant work experiences, projects, strategies, rationales, results, successes, and what you would do differently. Prepare your own questions. Remember, job seeking is a double-edged process. Those on the hiring end are assessing you. Make the same determinations from your point of view. You must pinpoint precisely if this opportunity is right for you. Both sides of the equation have a lot at stake.

Hiring Manager Alert: Go for What Could be Gold

What would a portrait of a freelancer look like? The profile should mirror a person who is trustworthy, talented, insightful, adaptable, and versatile. These characteristics are fine-tuned over the course of running a practice. Freelancers bring this rich menu, along with other valuable variables, with them to staff roles. Going back to where we started, if there are two candidates whose credentials are similar, why not vote in favor of the freelancer? This job hopeful will appreciate the green light to make the transition. You will too

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About the author.
You name it, she covers it. That’s the can-do attitude Sherry M. Adler brings to the craft of writing. A polished marketing and communications professional, she has a passion for learning and the world at large. She uses it plus the power of words to inform and energize stakeholders of all kinds. And to show how all of this can make a difference, she calls her business WriteResults NY, LLC.