Coworking and hybrid schedules help maximize lawyer in-office time

As workforce trends continue to shift, more law firms have adopted hybrid schedules that include both remote work and lawyer in-office time. Firms of all sizes can maximize that time on-site in a number of ways.

Scheduling focus time

If you work for yourself as an independent lawyer, consider how and where you work best for specific tasks. Maybe an office space away from home allows you to do deep focused work like writing briefs or conducting research. For some, that office time might foster more productive client meetings.

For managers in large firms, it helps to understand how your people work best. This article from Google points out that:

“Employees working in hybrid environments typically fall into two groups: those who focus better at home (or remotely) and those who focus better in the office. A focus-at-home person should preserve their at-home days for heads-down work, and try to schedule meetings and calls on in-office days to avoid breaking up their focus time. And for those who prefer focusing at the office, scheduling meetings and calls on at-home days can reduce interruptions during that valuable in-office time.”

Understanding your own preferences as well as the preferences of your team will help you create a schedule that works best for everyone.

Balancing team collaboration and independent work

The benefits of holding office hours include time for members of the team to collaborate face-to-face. However, keep in mind that overloading office time with meetings could eat into each person’s individual focus time.

Likewise for independent lawyers, a shared office space offers an opportunity to connect with potential partners and business advisors, but each lawyer needs to create space for heads-down work. Walking into your coworking space with intention each day will help you manage both your workload and your need to network with others.

Meeting client needs

For many lawyers, face-to-face meetings can help establish trust and a better working relationship. In-office time allows for these interactions to happen in a professional and comfortable setting.

However, a significant portion of client service happens outside of meetings, so schedule live meetings strategically and avoid stacking meetings back-to-back.

Finding a better work-life balance

A strong benefit to creating a hybrid schedule is an ability to create flexibility. A longer in-office workday on Monday might allow for a shortened day at home on Wednesday, which translates into a chance to invest time in personal pursuits.

Maximizing lawyer in-office time can mean both quality work and more life satisfaction for each person on the team. According to the National Institutes of Health, hybrid work supports a better work-life balance for most people:

“Most research suggests that work-life balance is improved with a remote or hybrid work environment, particularly for women and minorities…

  • Employees find it easier to balance competing interests of work and home, with the time that used to be spent commuting being free for other activities.

  • In fact, employees who have switched to remote work report higher work-life balance as well as higher engagement with the company.”

Even for independent lawyers, creating that sense of balance can lead to more career satisfaction and a healthier relationship with one’s law business.

Assessing real estate needs

For larger law firms, how will a hybrid schedule begin to affect real estate needs?

For most firms, workforce trends – hybrid work, outsourcing and streamlining through technology – point to a smaller office footprint.

This digital transformation services provider notes:

“With budgeting season upon us, strategy for real estate investment will go hand in hand with both technology and talent investments. Supporting a reduced or distributed workforce will inform how a firm plans to spend the related budgets. After all, an active file room is an expensive use of real estate if it’s just used for paperwork rather than generating revenue like another attorney’s desk space would. Other firms choose to divest the space entirely for cost savings.”

Opting for a smaller office with a mix of schedules for team members will help large law firms manage costs and meet workforce needs.

Independent lawyers have the ability to choose a more affordable shared office or coworking setting to create their ideal hybrid work schedule.

Looking for a new solution for your law office needs? Our shared office communities in Denver and Las Vegas serve the needs of independent lawyers and small law firms. We also offer real estate services to large law firms that want to maximize their existing office space. Reach out to learn more.