Outsourcing some staff functions
Perhaps, again, spurred by the pandemic and by remote work, many bars seem to be receptive to the idea of outsourcing some staff functions. Outsourcing in the past two years was reported by:
- 31 percent of mandatory state bars;
- 50 percent of voluntary state bars; and
- 28 percent of local bars.
Among mandatory state bars, those most likely to have outsourced some staff functions were in the 20,000 to 49,999-member size category (43 percent). Among voluntary state bars, the largest size category, over 20,000 members, also had the highest percentage reporting that they had outsourced some staff functions (67 percent). Similarly, the highest percentage of local bars reporting outsourcing (43 percent) was in the largest size category, over 8,500 members.
When asked which staff functions had been outsourced, typical responses included information technology, communications (including writing and graphic design), accounting, and lobbying. One bar said it had started using temporary workers to process membership dues, and another said it had outsourced its meetings director position.