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By Jared Correia, IndyBar Law Practice Management Consultant, Red Cave Law Firm Consulting
We are living through unprecedented times, for sure. There are multi-fronted crises overtaking the American landscape, including those related to the reopening of cultural institutions and businesses, including law firms.
The issues with reopening, and the speed with which it occurs, have become deeply personal questions. Just because your law firm office can be open, you need to decide whether it should be, to what extent it will be, and what you will require of your employees in that context.
Even as law firms reopen, the question of when and how to bring employees back is specific to the individual law firm, which needs to deal with space considerations, as well as the psychological health of its lawyers and staff. One thing that law firm managers should do is to gauge the willingness of staff and employees to come back, and when.
Some businesses, including law firms, are not expecting to open offices back up until the end of 2021, despite state rules enabling them to do so earlier. Many other law firms have discovered that their employees are just as productive (sometimes more so) at home, which should only increase as camps, daycares and schools begin to reopen.
Assessing and implementing new office protocols with your employees in mind is not only the correct and practical business decision to make, but it’s also the right decision to make in terms of employee well-being. It’s the best thing to do for the health of your business, and of your employees and staff.
For more on leading with empathy, and why it’s important, review this article, to start with, “5 Reasons Empathy is the Most Important Leadership Skill,” available to read at fastcompany.com. •
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