Beat the Spread: 3 Tips for Managing a Distributed Workforce

With work from home/remote work in full swing, employees may be pleasantly surprised by how productive they can be outside of the office.  Meanwhile, law firm managers, who are used to having butts in seats in leased office spaces, wonder what to do next. 



 Like many things that have happened over the past several months, the rise of the distributed law firm model has come as a surprise to many attorneys, most of whom are still adjusting to the ripple effects.  Adopting a distributed workforce model in an instant is not easy, for sure; but, there are some tactics you can apply, to make your law firm run better, even if it’s not all running from the same place anymore: 

 

(1) Give up on the 9 to 5 working hours model.  In an environment where the societal structure is fraying at it edges, when everyone is worried about their health, and there are no reliable options for childcare, it’s time to stop pretending that the best method for getting through the workday is by adhering to a random period of hours during which staff will work.  An at-home work environment opens up the opportunity for law firm employees to self-determine how and when they get their work done.  That means that they can (and should) instill breaks when they want to, and set the hours they wish to work.  And, managers should embrace the change.  This is one of the major reasons why work from home staff are more productive. 

 

(2) Of course, remote staff still require guideposts, and some rails to inspire what they do.  In the end, working for a law firm is about completing discrete tasks in expected time frames.  The new work environment, then, gives supervisors the opportunity to create and manage playbooks for case management.  Not only does this offer your clients a more consistent experience with the firm, it reduces your malpractice risk.  And, if everyone is following workflows (task lists), it’s much easier for managers to see what has been done, when, by whom, and how quickly.  Workflows increase law firm efficiency across the board, including for managers, because it gives managing attorneys a window into the progress of every employee, on every case, no matter where those employees are located.  It’s also the gateway to effectively utilizing KPIs. 

 

(3) And, if you’ve yet to create policies that become particularly important in a distributed law firm model (like a ‘data security program’, and a ‘bring your own device policy’, and a ‘work from home policy’) -- well, what are you waiting for? 

 

. . . 

 

If you want to get a better handle on your newly distributed workforce, we can help. 


Through a unique partnership between the bar association and 
Jared Correia's Red Cave Law Firm ConsultingNational Creditors' Bar Association members now have access to experienced law practice management consultants at a special discount rate. To get started, visit Red Cave's NCBA landing page, and start running your law practice like a business.

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