Managing The Hybrid Office

The hybrid office is preferred by most law firms, with 80% of surveyed law firms either providing the option or working toward it. Whether a law firm of one or more, hybrid work has so many benefits, not only to the firm but to its members. If you are considering a hybrid approach, or working through the process of providing it, here are some tips to consider.

Connectivity

First and foremost, internet connectivity is a must. A minimum level of internet reliability and availability is key. Some law firms are offering to subsidize greater connectivity to their members homes to ensure reliability.

Be specific about how and where your team can gain connectivity. Working in the local coffee shop may not provide the level of data security your firm is required to provide. Shared workspaces can be a good option, as long as a secure network is configured to your teams actual computer. 

Be sure to balance connectivity and security. Understand the options and set connectivity location limits that protect your firm and clients. 

Schedule

For hybrid to work, everyone on the team must understand the required schedule. Which days should each individual be in the office? What time must they be available via computer or phone? Part of the benefit of the hybrid schedule is a bit more work/life balance. Maybe the person working from home needs to step away from their computer for a personal appointment. Just like the office, the team needs to know when that person will be available, and not available. 

Consider having one day a week, minimum, where all members of the firm are in the office. Certainly there is overlap in knowledge and expertise that benefits the firm and clients greatly. But beyond that, ensuring the firm feels like a team, spending time together in the same space, is beneficial. Human connectivity is key. Mental health issues continue, driven at least in part to not spending time with other people. 

Giving specifics around required availability hours ensures the best result for the firm and the individual. So be specific.

Focus On The Work

Location can tend to take center stage in these decisions. The reality is that location, while important, doesn't necessarily guarantee work is efficient or effective. In fact, working remotely can deliver a higher level of efficiency as fewer interruptions exist outside the office.

Consider the amount of independent, quiet, work for each role within the firm. Those with more tasks that are independent likely have a greater chance of being productive in a remote setting. For individuals where their work outcome is reliant on working with others, you may need to consider how much time can be spent remotely. Certainly with all the online communication tools, like Slack or Teams or other solutions, it is certainly still possible. And in some cases, may result in even greater efficiency. 

Space

Consider your office space. With a hybrid schedule, what options does this provide? Perhaps you no longer require as much space. Perhaps shared desks are a possibility. You get the idea.

From our perspective, an office is still a must if you had one in the past. It's important for potential clients, and current clients, to feel comfortable meeting you in a secure and private location. If you haven't had an office, well, no need to add one now. But we do support using shared office space with a fully private office if you are meeting clients. Starbucks is great and everything but clients are already likely feeling some level of anxiety. Giving them a space where they feel they can be heard without being overheard is key.

Tools

It all starts with providing the right set of tools to everyone in the firm. Clearly, the cloud is the preferred method. If your law firm is not on the cloud, now is definitely the time to do it. There are so many cloud tools out there. The key is finding the one that fits your firm. And that starts with understanding your firm. 

Case management software, like SimpleLaw, is key. The solution you choose should fit how your law firm currently works. The benefit of a case management software platform is everything is in one place. Hours are tracked, documents created, communicating with the client, and managing the calendar are all available from any connected device. Work from home, from the office, or the beach (we don't judge...) as long as wifi access is available.  

If you prefer to approach hybrid options using individual point solutions, that's another option. Or perhaps you only want to offer specified tools via the cloud. Whatever your approach, to achieve a productive hybrid schedule, the cloud is crucial.