John Hyde of the Law Gazette has recently published a really interesting short piece on what Legal professionals want from their employers, in light of the Pandemic. Put simply, Legal professionals want more flexibility in at least two ways: one, they want the ability to work from home; two, they want to be working less.
Having talked to various legal professionals, from secretarial to partner level, I have noticed the expression of similar sentiments. Which begs the question: what next? Will it be that law firms have to make room for the demands of their employees, and indeed, their prospective employees? Or, does this mean that employees will have to return to the way things were?
As a legal recruitment consultant, I’m very aware that we operate in a candidate-driven market, so I have been increasingly discussing the need to be flexible with my clients to attract the top talent. I’ve also noticed there’s a real spectrum in what law firms have been offering: from the opportunity to work entirely from home if a candidate prefers, to some days working from home, and then finally, the absolute inability to work from home.
[1] https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/lawyers-want-remote-work-and-even-reduced-hours-finds-survey/5108166.article?utm_source=gazette_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Dearth+of+jury+data+%7c+Crisis%2c+what+crisis%3f+%7c+Mother+in+law_04%2f16%2f2021