Modern work approaches for forward-thinking companies are becoming more varied; employers now recognise that flexible hours, job-sharing, and working remotely from the office, can give increased productivity, greater work-satisfaction, and reduce costs.
However, many law firms seem to be a little behind the times when it comes to implementing changes in work procedures and ethics. But, if firms want to have improved staff retention, and the ability to attract the most promising new ‘hot-shot’ lawyers, they are going to need to move with the times.
Agile working is likely to become increasingly important across the legal profession as more lawyers demand the flexibility that other professions offer. They will want to avoid the long commutes, work from home so they can fulfil family commitments, and negotiate on the long hours often associated with law firms. And who can blame them?
The following highlights are practices that law firms should be considering in a bid to engage with the next generation of lawyers who are likely to demand fluidity in their work principles:
Increased Flexibility
For Law firms this ‘increased flexibility’ does not mean allowing their workforce to work from home once a week. It means they must give freedom to lawyers to choose how, where, and when they work. It involves removing timesheets, and billable hours, but focusing instead on high quality customer service, direct access to senior lawyers, and offering increased value for money with superior outcomes.
Increased flexibility also includes offering variety within the workplace – not everyone wants the same chair, desk, lighting, or laptop. Choice to select working environments will assist with productivity and success.
Cost Reductions
Agile work procedures also cause a reduction of costs. A decrease in expensive overheads, utilising innovative business practices, and cutting-edge technology, can lead to a cut in client costs, in turn leading to happy, recurring clients.
The benefits of agile working also encompass the reduced costs incurred with sick leave, illness, and stress related disorders. A happy lawyer, is a healthy lawyer!
If all law firms can embrace agile working with every legal practice, and every lawyer working within them benefitting equally, the gains can be phenomenal. Certain practice areas may be more challenging than others when it comes to transferring to agile working ethics, such as, corporate finance, or mergers and acquisitions, where long office hours are standard, however, they will eventually find they need to align their practices with other businesses and law firms in a bid to maintain success.
The Next Generation
The 21st century has seen a dramatic change in the way people wish to live and work. Law firms risk becoming incompatible with the next generation of lawyers if agile work procedures aren’t adopted.
Many other industries have already incorporated flexible work patterns as standard, but the legal profession has been slower to adopt these changes.
There are may be missed opportunities that law firms will experience when change is delayed, or resisted. The next generation of lawyers will require the same work practices that their peers are afforded in different sectors – the best will go elsewhere.
Go with the Flow
Change is inevitable. You can resist, or delay the progress for a while, but eventually agile working methods will have an impact upon law firms.
By embracing aspects of agile working wholeheartedly, law firms will offer their employees the chance to realise their full potential. Change must start at the top – the desire to change the culture of law firm working practices will need to overcome ingrained work cultures – it the desire to adopt change is not enthusiastically incorporated , the plans will falter, and become more challenging.
Ultimately, agile working will be best for lawyers, best for clients, and therefore, best for law firms.
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