Law firm burnout can affect firms of all sizes
While remote work has reduced some burdens for lawyers, work-life balance remains an issue. Leaders should continue to work to prevent law firm burnout among their people.
In this article, lawyer and burnout expert James Eischen discusses the difference between ordinary stress and burnout. He notes how COVID-19 has contributed to feelings of burnout for many professionals. He says:
“Burnout differs from stress. Stress is often equated with anxiety…but burnout is where we reach a level of detachment. We experience a loss of motivation, our connection with others – and we lose ourselves. Burnout is identified by the World Health Organization as an occupational mental health syndrome.”
That detachment could spell disaster for a law firm. By its very nature, the work of law requires attention, engagement and focus. If you or your people feel detached or apathetic, work output and client service will suffer.
Addressing Work-Life Balance in 2020
Remote work can lead to an unhealthy urge to stay connected 24/7. If you have not worked from home before, it takes a dedicated effort to separate work and personal activities. Whether you run an independent law practice or lead a firm of many attorneys, this issue will continue to affect your team this year and beyond.
However, some good news has emerged from the so-called new normal created by the pandemic and remote work. According to a Robert Half survey:
“The report…noted a decrease in office expenses and an increase in work-life balance for employees working remotely due to COVID-19. The study of senior managers found other net positives prompted by the pandemic, including more frequent communication with leadership, better collaboration, innovation, efficiency and transparency.
Those positives give law firm leaders a great place from which to build their strategy moving into 2021. They show that work-life balance can coexist with innovation and efficiency. You can build your business without contributing to burnout.
Creating a Healthy Law Firm
For us, the word healthy applies to both the business and the people. You can’t have one without the other.
Healthy people, who have a strong work-life balance, do better work. They bring their focus and creativity to the table. They operate at a higher level, and clients notice the difference.
As a healthy business, a law firm attracts new clients and new work in a sustainable fashion. Leaders bring on new talent as needed, which helps prevent burnout among existing staff. They also structure the firm to minimize overhead and maximize operations in a way that supports a professional culture of growth and collaboration.
How Your Office Contributes to Balance
Your healthy law firm begins with the right space in which to do your best work. In 2020, that space might look a bit different than it once did.
More law firms have opted for smaller spaces, or shared work environments, in an effort to strike just the right balance between professionalism and efficiency (including cost savings).
For those who choose a shared workspace, the burden of a long-term lease disappears. As do the hassles of maintenance, equipment rental and more. Attorneys in a shared workspace enjoy the added benefits of on-site equipment, reception services, conference space to use as needed and much more. Most importantly, they have access to a built-in network of professionals who can help support their referral network and business growth.
Law firms with a dedicated office space can create a better sense of balance by inviting others to create a shared office environment. Through subleasing, you can make the most of your space and also begin to build your own collaborative network of legal peers.
What’s more, you can review how your workforce operates. For those attorneys and staff who enjoy the option of working remotely, creating a flexible schedule and work environment will support their personal style and sense of balance. You can achieve that flexibility in your own office or in a shared workspace. Think creatively and strategically in how you structure your staff’s schedule.
You Choose
Each of these decisions can help you create a firm culture based on a sense of healthy growth. As your firm supports its people, it can grow in a way that encourages vigor rather than burnout.
Choose now what you want for the future of your firm and your people.
As you begin to contemplate your law firm strategy for 2021, reach out to us. We can help you determine an approach to your law firm real estate needs that supports growth and the health of your people.
