By Molly McGrath.
In the United States, the legal profession is currently experiencing a remarkable surge in job opportunities, nearing the pinnacle observed last year. According to the May 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 1,216,600 jobs within the legal sector, predominantly consisting of lawyers and various legal professionals. This surge in employment should not merely be seen as a statistical blip, but rather as a resounding wake-up call for employers across the nation.
However, amidst this seemingly favorable scenario lies a persistent issue that demands urgent attention: the glaring lack of employee engagement. In an era characterized by successive crises, individuals are increasingly prioritizing their quality of life over mere financial compensation or status symbols. When employees are disengaged from their work, they are significantly more inclined to contemplate leaving their current positions. Shockingly, reports indicate that a staggering 95% of workers are mulling over the prospect of quitting. This unequivocally highlights that no employer, regardless of stature or industry, is immune to this alarming trend.
Understanding the Core of Law Firms
It is imperative to underscore that law firms, at their core, are in the business of providing personal services rather than mere commodities. Recognizing this fundamental truth necessitates treating employees as invaluable assets, akin to esteemed clients or referral sources. Just as firms aspire to provide exemplary client experiences, they must extend the same level of care, attention, and respect toward their internal clientele.
The Real Reason Your Great Team Members Are Leaving
Many believe talented legal professionals are lured away by bigger firms and flashy benefits. The truth, however, is often much less glamorous. The real reason your team is leaving is YOU. I spoke with an exceptional Professional Legal Administrator (PLA) we recruited, who quit after just 45 days. Her reason?
Lack of leadership: "I cannot care about the business more than the attorney cares about the business.”
Unclear direction: "I'm not set up for success here."
She described the team constantly on edge due to the attorney's:
Unreliable presence: Rarely attending, and when present, appearing frustrated and disorganized.
Inconsistent initiatives: Traveling for business development, presenting grand plans, then failing to follow through, leaving everyone in limbo.
This pattern is all too common. Your team is leaving because you:
Lack the time, focus, and availability your firm needs.
Fail to create an open communication environment where your team can express their needs and concerns.
Another example: a Client Services Coordinator, six years with a small firm, promoted to COO, witnessed impressive growth culminating in a new office move. Yet, on the same day, she resigned. Not overwhelmed or stressed, she left due to a lack of entrepreneurial spirit.
The marketing strategies discussed remained unimplemented for years. The attorney's constant refrain: "I don't have enough information to make an informed decision." This indecisiveness is crippling. If you're paralyzed by fear, how can your team believe in their career growth within the firm?
The Role of Leadership in Employee Engagement
Leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping the culture of engagement within a law firm. Effective leaders are those who lead by example, demonstrating a commitment to the values they wish to instill in their teams. They are the architects of a vision that aligns with the aspirations of their employees, fostering an environment where individuals feel connected to the larger mission of the organization.
Entrepreneurship Vs. Intrapreneurship
Have you ever heard countless attorneys lament that their team doesn't share their passion for the firm? This common desire isn't surprising, but achieving it requires fostering intrapreneurship, not traditional entrepreneurship. Understand the Difference: Entrepreneurship: About individual initiative and venturing out on your own. Think of you, taking the risk to establish your law firm.
Intrapreneurship: Harnessing an employee's entrepreneurial spirit within the existing organization. It's about channeling their ambition to propel the firm collectively.
Strategies for Augmenting Employee Engagement in the Current Landscape
Recognizing the imperative need to fortify employee engagement in the legal sector, firms must proactively adopt strategies that not only retain but also invigorate their workforce. Herein lies the crux of leadership development initiatives, providing a roadmap towards sustained employee satisfaction and engagement amidst the prevailing turbulence.
1. Create a Top-Tier Onboarding Program: Forget one-week or one-month crash courses. Effective onboarding takes 6 months. This isn't just about training; it's about welcoming new hires into your firm's family. Here's what makes onboarding programs thrive
Cultural Connection: People crave belonging, both personally and professionally. Introduce your firm's vision, mission, and values. Help new hires understand who you are and how they contribu
Defining Success: Can you articulate what a successful employee looks like in 50 words or less? If not, your team needs clarity. Everyone should know what success entails in their role. This fosters a sense of accomplishment, a vital human need.
Ongoing Support: While cultural immersion and understanding success might be achieved quickly, sustaining a positive experience takes time. Regular check-ins with managers, mentoring programs, and virtual resources can facilitate continuous engagement and growth throughout the first year and beyond.
2. Foster Internal Accountability: Implementing self-accountability doesn't need to be complicated. Consistency is key. Leadership training and general employee development can be aligned under a unified action plan, tailored to different roles. Here's a step-by-step guide for you and your organization:
Define Your Team’s Roles: Begin by outlining everyone’s role, starting with broad goals, and working down to specific tasks and objectives. This provides a clear understanding of their responsibilities.
Align with KPIs: Connect individual responsibilities to key performance indicators (KPIs) that directly contribute to the organization's success. Ensure everyone is familiar with these crucial metrics.
Prioritize and Organize: Organize their tasks and goals based on their priority levels, informed by the established KPIs, and their anticipated completion times. This creates a clear roadmap for everyone’s work.
3. Embrace Flexibility and Innovation: For many, the pandemic’s only silver lining was the ability to establish a better work-life balance by going remote. The legal industry, traditionally perceived as conservative and resistant to change, is now at a crossroads. The demands of the modern workforce, coupled with the rapid pace of technological advancement, call for a shift towards more flexible and innovative work practices. Firms that adapt to these changes by offering remote work options, leveraging technology to streamline operations, and encouraging innovation are more likely to thrive in this new landscape.
4. Listen to Your Team's Needs: While empowerment lays the foundation for sustainable engagement, it is equally crucial to exhibit genuine empathy and understanding towards employees' needs. Soliciting their input on preferred forms of recognition, professional development aspirations, and avenues for authentic relationship-building within the workplace fosters a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect.
5. Systemize Weekly Communication: Implementing a structured framework for weekly communication ensures that dialogue remains open and transparent, fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration amongst team members.
6. Quarterly Employee Growth Plans: Instituting quarterly growth plans provides employees with a tangible roadmap toward personal and professional development, fostering a sense of purpose and direction within the organization.
7. Quarterly Strategic Retreats: Convening quarterly strategic retreats facilitates collective brainstorming and ideation, empowering employees to actively contribute toward the organization's overarching objectives and vision.
8. Recognize and Appreciate Employees' Value: It's no secret that times are tough. The pandemic lingers, social divisions persist, inflation takes an alarming hike, and anxieties are high. Employee well-being is taking a hit. But amidst the chaos, there's an opportunity: to foster a workplace that prioritizes its people. Here are five powerful ways to go beyond traditional perks and truly enhance employee loyalty:
Show Appreciation: Don't underestimate the power of genuine appreciation. It's a basic human need, and showing it can significantly boost morale and loyalty.
Paid Time Off - Encouraged, Not Feared: A generous PTO policy is essential. But it's just as important to actively encourage its use. Discourage the notion that taking time off reflects poorly on an employee. Promote work-life balance, and watch your team thrive.
Personalized Care: Appreciation goes further with personalized actions. Whether it's an informal lunch, a handwritten note, or simply asking how they're doing, show your team you genuinely care about their well-being.
Fun is Essential: Let's face it, everyone needs a break. Combat anxiety by incorporating fun elements into the workplace. Cater lunches, organize yoga sessions, or even start a friendly competition - anything to bring laughter and reduce stress.
Empowerment Through Resources: While appreciation and care are crucial, feeling empowered is equally important. Ensure your team has the tools and resources they need to succeed. This includes modern technology, top-notch equipment, and opportunities for professional development.
The journey toward effective leadership begins with a concerted effort to empower employees, encouraging them to recognize and celebrate their unique skills and contributions.
9. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement is not just a buzzword but a strategic imperative for law firms aiming to enhance employee engagement. This involves regular assessments of workflows, processes, and policies to identify areas for enhancement. Encouraging a culture where feedback is welcomed and acted upon ensures that employees feel heard and valued, leading to greater investment in the firm’s success.
While all of this might sound like extra work, time, and energy for an already overwhelmed office, it’s the opposite. When your team feels cared for and supported, not only will you not need to worry about them posting inappropriate content on social media, but you won’t need to worry about them bringing anything less than their best to the office, either.
By embracing a holistic approach that emphasizes creating a top onboarding program, accountability, flexibility, communication, recognition, and continuous learning, firms can cultivate a workplace culture that not only attracts but also retains top talent. Ultimately, investing in cultural transformation is not only financially prudent but also pivotal for maintaining a competitive edge in today's dynamic legal landscape.
About the Author
Molly McGrath is the Founder and CEO of Hiring & Empowering Solutions and the author of Amazon's top #1 Best Seller: 'Fix My Boss: The Simple Plan to Cultivate Respect, Risk Courageous Conversations, and Increase the Bottom Line.'
She is a thought leader with 27 years of experience in the CEO space. Since the late nineties, Molly has coached, consulted, and directed presidents and founders of national organizations and over 4,500 law firms in executive-level leadership, continuous improvement, and team empowerment initiatives to infiltrate new markets, leverage partner ecosystems, and produce profitability.
Molly has about 30 years of specific skillset experience in legal CMO marketing, fractional CEO roles, conversation intelligence coaching, team development & empowerment, intrapreneur talent acquisition, Kaizen leadership, root cause analysis, revenue mapping, and action-based project management. #MollyMcGrath #talent #lawfirms #employee #engagement #attract #retain #empower #engage #evaluate
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