As 2022 begins and new year resolutions abound, we’re focusing on how law firm leaders can set concise and meaningful goals for their attorneys in the year ahead while operating in a hybrid work environment.
In a recent Law.com article on the difficulties firms face when balancing remote with in-office work, Deniz Caglar, an author and partner at PwC, succinctly stated, “Your culture is not your office.” Caglar went on to explain that what an organisation does and how its members work together remains unaffected by remote work. (Source: Law Firms Are Struggling to Make the Hybrid Model Work)
Despite this encouragement, many firm leaders are still struggling to create an “ideal” balance. For firms still uncertain of where to start, consider first examining your lawyers’ timekeeping habits, as most firms have struggled to encourage healthy timekeeping habits within a hybrid workplace. Without an engaging way to do so, how can firms ensure that timekeeping behaviours are in alignment with their goals and policies? While there is no standard process, the following best practices can help firms thrive:
- Equip timekeepers with technology that allows them to enter time quickly and easily in whatever manner suits their day— whether they are working in the office, at home, or on-the-go.
- Ensure that your firm has procedures in place to recognise and reward timekeepers that meet weekly, monthly, or yearly timekeeping goals.
- Be intentional; firm leaders must collaborate on policies and procedures that foster confidence amongst their timekeepers, regardless of where they work.
Firms that Thrive in A Hybrid Work Environment
Many firms are already equipping their timekeepers with industry-leading timekeeping solutions that remove the barriers of daily timekeeping. Best-in-class firms are taking it a step further by providing a complete timekeeping ecosystem that allows concise and attainable goals to be set and met in a hybrid workplace.
With Aderant Thrive, firms are achieving the goals mentioned above by creating, managing, and enforcing timekeeping policies. With capabilities to measure timekeeper performance and better engage their attorneys, they’re quickly turning them into timekeeping pros. Firms can provide the flexibility to define multiple objectives, such as monthly and annual billable hour targets, and enable timekeepers to stay on track through in-app notifications and emails. Paired with iTimekeep, timekeepers can get visibility on weekly, monthly, and yearly targets to stay on track of their agreed-upon goals and targets.
To learn more about Aderant’s solutions, including the #1 mobile legal timekeeping solution, iTimekeep, and Thrive, a best-in-class policy management tool, visit Aderant.com.
