We got the green light to go back to the office, yet many businesses hesitated. Some companies insisted that employees resume traditional 9 to 5 schedules in-person and on-site, while others recognized that remote and work-from-home approaches could still be impactful in reaching company goals and meeting projections.
More importantly, workers were happier to stay home and still get paid to do the job.
Law firms are no exception, and hybrid law firms have become more and more popular in Chicago as well as everywhere in America. To effectively manage a hybrid law firm, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Shell Out for Security
It’s easy to implement good security measures on site. We can physically see security guards, locks, data pads that require codes to access, and cameras that record all entrances and activities in the office.
But what about confidential data shared over the Internet?
Many businesses handle sensitive data regularly, but law firms deal with it almost exclusively. To make sure your law firm keeps confidential data out of the hands of hackers and other opportunists, it’s important to invest in a highly qualified IT team and strict rules regarding usage of company computer systems or servers.
Invest in education as well. Smart employees that can spot phishing scams will save you loads of hassle in the long run.
Encourage Inclusiveness
While some employees will prefer staying home as much as is allowed by the firm, others might feel better and more productive in the office. Being in the office has benefits, after all, as coworkers can easily collaborate and support one another. Meetings are a little easier to run as well.
Because of this, it’s important to make sure the virtual employees are not cut out of the operation. Make sure the team remains available for video calls. Conduct meetings that require all participants, even those in the same building, to video call in so that everyone can see and hear everyone.
Quality Over Quantity
The best solution for success is for individuals to focus most of their time on the problems and assignments that produce the most impact.
It’s prudent to keep this in mind when adopting a hybrid model because supervisor oversight goes by the wayside. Quantifying what each attorney and office staff member is working on at any given time is difficult to track, and managers may become suspicious that certain workers are doing anything but case work during the allotted business hours.
Don’t sweat it. The most important thing is that the work gets completed and the result is positive and impactful to the firm. Beyond that, it doesn’t matter if someone sits in on every last meeting or is conveniently “on a client call” every time you ask for a face-to-face.
As long as the workers are getting results, your firm will benefit, and the workers will be happier for it. Sounds like a win-win, doesn’t it?
