How Can You Help Your Associates Help You?

With the recent salary increases in the legal community, many firms have been struggling to make other changes to satisfy their associates’ demands for more life/work balance without raising salaries again. Based upon a survey of associates at a range of small, mid-size and large law firms, we have developed some ideas on how firms can easily improve their associates’ life/work balance without adjusting salaries up and billable hour requirements down. The following suggestions, some of which involve negligible costs, may just inspire associates to put in those long hours for which firms are looking! 

1.   Provide Easy and Meaningful Access to Partners

One significant and persistent comment from associates is in regard to associates’ utter lack of meaningful contact with their partners. Associates want the opportunity to talk with their partners on a more “human” level and would like firms to require “open-door policies.”

Associates suggest that firms organize monthly partner/associate lunches or happy hours where associates can chat with partners about matters in a friendly environment. An attorney from a boutique Chicago firm mentioned that her office recently held a meeting where partners were present to talk with associates about their New Year’s resolutions, article aspirations, and the like. She found it reassuring that the partners in her firm made time to speak with associates about matters other than motions and research assignments. A number of associates feel that their work experiences would be greatly enhanced by actual access to their partners.  

2.   Give Them Creature Comforts

Many associates suggested that law firms improve upon those “creature comforts” that make office living a bit more like home living. Associates believe that their firms should offer free access to a variety of beverages as well as to healthy snacks like fresh fruit and vegetables and prepared food like microwave popcorn, chips and sandwiches. Associates say they can be more productive with access to a constant stream of caffeine and quick snacks – food that can be grabbed for an easy lunch or during a late night at the office. 

Aside from requests for free food and drink, associates also request that their offices be more comfortable. In particular, associates requested ergonomically designed desk chairs and additional lighting. Associates polled said that since they spend so much time at their desks, they should have a comfortable seat. Moreover, they indicate that the addition of a desk lamp or two makes it easier to stare at a computer screen for long periods of time without straining their eyes in harsh florescent light. 

Lastly, a number of associates thought their firms should either affiliate with nearby gyms to provide reduced-rate memberships or develop their own on-site work-out facilities. Associates mentioned time and again that lunchtime workouts helped them get rid of stress and allowed them to come back to the office reenergized and ready to put in those necessary evening hours of billable work.

3. Help Out New and Experienced Parents

Now that most associates are raising families in two-income households, firm assistance with the familial stress would be much appreciated. New parents commented that on-site daycare would be a wonderful way for them to work yet still be close to their children. However, most associates also recognize that the cost of on-site daycare may be too much for all but the largest firms to bear and instead suggest that firms organize parenting groups. Associates who are parents suggest that firms provide them with reserved conference rooms to be used on a monthly basis for parental networking meetings. They think it would be helpful to speak with other parents about their experiences and share information regarding local daycares, reliable babysitters, and other general parenting tips.

4. Offer Remote Access to Computer Networks

One of the most popular requests from associates in firms both small and large was for easy remote access to their firm’s computer networks. Associates mentioned they would work more on the weekends and after the close of the workday if they could more easily work from home.

While many associates indicate that their firms provide remote-access via a virtual private network (“VPN”), these networks are often complicated to use and are unreliable. As a result, many associates suggested that their firms re-vamp VPNs. Additionally, one associate suggested providing attorneys with monthly access to computer experts at work so that firm employees can have the experts ensure that their home computers are properly secured and compatible with the firm’s VPNs. 

As an alternative and since firms routinely replace their computers, associates suggest firms begin replacing traditional desktops with laptops with docking stations. Associates can then simply disconnect their laptops and take their work home so that they can continue being productive without feeling chained to their desks.

5. Provide Additional Administrative Assistance

Finally, a number of associates expressed concern with inadequate administrative assistance during extremely busy times.  When their assistants are swamped with other attorneys’ work, associates have to set aside billable time to handle administrative tasks to ensure that their own projects are completed. To make certain that associates do not lose billable time to administrative tasks, associates suggest that firms employ floating administrative assistants. 

While some large law firms already provide this service, a number of associates found that they were not aware of how to ask for this help without appearing to be complaining about their assistants. Therefore, associates ask that firms clearly delineate procedures for asking for this additional assistance. Associates in smaller and mid-size law firms, where employing a floating administrative assistant is likely a financial impossibility, ask that these firms put specific procedures in place for working with other assistants who are less busy when certain assistants are overwhelmed.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line – associates want to know that they are appreciated! Show that you care about them, provide them with a little extra help and some free food and they will likely reward your responsiveness with the billable hours you are seeking. If firms implemented only one or two of the above suggestions, they will go a long way in improving not only associates’ perceptions of their life/work balance, but also the quality of their work.