For Mother’s Day, Special Counsel, The Adecco Group’s legal staffing brand, which is the largest full-service provider of legal staffing and recruiting services in the US, asked six attorneys how they balance their professional and personal responsibilities, and then surprised them with a performance review from their toughest critics…their kids!
DIVERGE talked to Matilda Anderson, VP of Marketing at Special Counsel to find out more:
Where did the idea for this come from?
As female-led company, we understand the challenges of balancing a career with the rigors of family life. Moreover, Special Counsel’s president, Laurie Chamberlin, believes that being a working parent is a differentiator to be proud of, and that notion resonates throughout our organization. After deciding to make a Mother’s Day video, it was a no brainer to tell the stories of the amazing moms we are lucky enough to work with – and we knew there was no better way to let them know how much they’re appreciated than by incorporating the very reason they work so hard: their kids!
Why is it significant?
The legal industry is predominantly male, with women making up only 36 percent of the legal profession. Women are eager to break the glass ceiling, and companies have the opportunity not only to recognize their efforts, but to abandon outdated mindsets and practices that keep women – and especially moms – from advancing. At a time when benefits such as flex time and maternity/paternity leave are widely being discussed, employers must gain a clear understanding of the needs of today’s working parents.
What do you hope to accomplish from this?
First and foremost, we wanted to celebrate moms, in the legal industry and beyond. This content was a way to put a spotlight on the strength, perseverance and aptitude of the inspiring women we’re privileged to work with every day.
Through dynamic, authentic content that could be easily shared across a variety of platforms, we also aimed to spark conversation and social chatter around the great contributions of moms who work. Since women in the workforce is such a timely issue, we hope to see the content gain traction beyond the Mother’s Day holiday.
What kind of response have you seen?
It’s still early on and we’ve already heard overwhelmingly positive feedback, especially from Special Counsel’s clients, including corporate legal departments and law firms. We’re thrilled to see industry leaders celebrating moms in the legal space.
Why is it important to recognize working parents?
Parents make up a significant chunk of the workforce, and in many cases, their kids are the reason why they go to work every day. Organizations should make a conscious effort to understand and meet the needs of the moms and dads they employ in order to retain them and grow them into the leaders of tomorrow. As the competition for talent remains fierce, companies also need to consider whether their benefits and culture are attractive to parents who are looking for work.
Additional thoughts?
This content was a jumping off point for us – we plan to evolve the messaging into a more permanent platform for Special Counsel. Traditionally, legal marketing has been a more straightforward, serious vertical, and we want to bring emotion into the mix. While stats and studies are interesting, we think it’s equally important to bring issues to life through the stories of the legal professionals who are being affected.
