We've Entered the Age of Virtual Talent. How Can Communities Seize the Moment?

Fort Wayne, Indiana. Photo by Patrick T'Kindt on Unsplash

Mid-size cities and small towns are staring down an unprecedented opportunity. They have the potential to be hotter and more in demand than ever before as a wave of virtual talent looks to move out of the big cities. But it’s not going to “just happen.” Communities have to deliberately and proactively create the conditions to attract and keep young people.

This is not precisely a new thing. For several years, there’s been a trend of younger people drifting away from big urban centers toward mid-size and smaller locations. Much of it has to do with lower housing costs. Another part is the growing “cool factor” of many of these smaller cities, which have done a great job of revitalizing and reinventing themselves.

It goes without saying that this reverse talent migration is linked to the growing acceptance of virtual work. When one can work remotely, one can live anywhere. The whole world opens up.

With COVID-19, virtual work went mainstream, all of a sudden and in a big way. This is giving many people the option of choosing where they want to live and perhaps try out different cities and towns.

Check out this article in the Wall Street Journal titled “When Workers Can Live Anywhere, Many Ask: Why Do I Live Here?” The article asserts that the pandemic has made many Americans realize they no longer have to stay tethered to hot job market locations and the high costs of living. They can work anywhere—and many are relocating.

So now that talent can live anywhere they want, what can communities do to draw them in? How can we “seize the moment” and do the right things to attract them?

Lately there has been a lot of talk of cities paying talent to move there by giving relocation expenses, tax breaks, and other incentives. That is not really what I mean by seizing the moment. My feeling is that communities need to think beyond such short-term “Band-Aid” approaches and create vibrancy from the ground up.

Here are a few tips to help communities start making the changes needed to attract and retain talent.

1. Everything starts with vibrancy. 

Talent will move to smaller towns and cities, but they expect certain amenities. They need plenty of cool places to go and fun things to do. That’s why creating vibrancy is Job 1. Young folks are attracted to places that have a variety of restaurants, bars, craft beer stores, quirky shops, and boutiques. If they’re located in older buildings downtown that have “good bones” or renovated factory or warehouse space, so much the better. Character counts! Pay attention to programming as well (festivals, art walks, outdoor concerts, etc.) to bring people out and give them a reason to shop, eat, and drink at local establishments.

(While COVID has a lot of this stuff curtailed right now, don’t let that paralyze you or restrict your plans. Think ahead. Better times are coming, so be ready!)

2. Be sure they have plenty of opportunity. 

Even if people moving in already have a job, many may want to start up a side venture. Shore up your entrepreneurial ecosystem so they have lots of resources and support. Also, make sure the community has a good training and development/mentoring network so new businesses stay strong over time. The chamber can be a big help in connecting local expertise with those who need them.

Training and development is important for established businesses too. The stronger and healthier the local economy is, the more attracted to your town great talent will be.

3. Give them a chance to make a difference early. 

Invite them to join organizations and give them important roles. In James Fallows’ book, Our Towns, he talks about the importance of being open to immigrants. But the same is true of all newcomers. Create an outreach program to invite them in. Don’t shut them out or make them “do their time” before they are included.

4. Invest in affordable housing. 

Several weeks ago, I shared insights from a presentation Victor Dover did as part of Pensacola’s CivicCon speaker series. (Click here to read it.) He said when cities start getting popular, they often end up with a lot of cost-burdened households (those that must spend more than 40 percent of their monthly income on housing). This is what you don’t want when attracting young talent.

Burlington, Vermont. Photo by Shawn Rodgers on Unsplash

There are many ways to create appealing affordable housing. Victor Dover believes in a “placemaking” approach that helps communities become talent magnets. He talks about town crafting, building up “street scenes” with plenty of shade trees, and encouraging “missing middle” housing like small cottages, attached row houses on narrow lots, and mother-in-law suites. All of this mitigates sprawl and helps create places that people want to be.

5. Focus on diversity and inclusion. 

This is super important to young talent. Chambers can promote women- and minority-owned businesses. A developer can practice economic inclusion by committing to hire for their projects a percentage of minorities that reflects the local demographic makeup. An investor might offer a struggling small business owner a lease that moves up and down based on revenue. The idea is to move beyond giving all groups a “seat at the table” and make sure they have an active role in making the community better.

6. Leverage natural resources like lakes, rivers, and mountains.

Work/life balance is very important to young people. One reason they are drawn to smaller communities is the less frantic pace of life and the access to outdoor recreation. They want to surf or kayak or mountain climb or do whatever their free-time passion might be. When you’re messaging your community, be sure to place a lot of focus on water, woodlands, and other beautiful natural areas nearby.

Speaking of messaging…in my next Strong Towns column, I will talk about how to spread the word about your community to those who may want to move there. Your mid-size city or small town has a lot to offer. You just need to get assertive and systematic about telling the world about yourself. Please check in next week to learn more!

Cover image via Pexels.

---

---