Law Firms Should Tap This Data When Rethinking Their Workplace

The hybrid workplace with its changing context has created a need for new due diligence in office planning, in no industry sector more, perhaps, than law offices, reported Savills.

Some law firms have struggled post-pandemic in their real estate planning process because there is no tried and tested set of best practices to follow. 

“The past 20 months have presented a trio of unprecedented external market and cultural forces that have forced a complete re-evaluation of everything from work environments and workflow to recruiting practices,” Savills said in a new report.

It continued, “law firms that accurately diagnose and reflect how their practices have responded in real time to these external factors—the pandemic and the rapid onset of widespread remote work, the social justice and Black Lives Matter movement, the intense competition for talent, as well as the evolving relationships between professional and support staff—will be positioned for sustainable success.

The report suggested a more holistic approach with expanded input focused on five key areas.

“A holistic change in business practices demands a holistic approach to data-gathering,” Savills wrote. “It’s imperative to look across your entire organization to uncover relevant metrics and feedback that can give insight into how your practice and clients reacted to the upheaval that began with COVID-19 in March 2020 and the widespread adoption of remote work. Defining the most effective workplace strategy and real estate solution for your law firm begins with your firm’s real time response.” Here are some of the areas that Savills recommends for data gathering. 

HR. Human resources professionals and practice managers have a front-line view of attorney and staff response to remote work, diversity priorities accelerated by the social justice movement, projected talent needs magnified by an increasing labor shortage, as well as staff feedback regarding all new external forces. 

Savills recommended to “not make general conclusions. It’s imperative to parse all available information by age cohort; business development and mentorship priority; as well as partners, staff and practice group. Additional personal data includes gender, ethnicity, and commute, as well as individual agility with technology adoption.”

IT. IT is often overlooked as a source of actionable employee and workflow insight. Trackable insight can be revealed in basic metrics like onsite and remote network connectivity, mobile and onsite phone use, help desk inquiries, and even printer and copier use. 

Assessing technology readiness for advanced workplace tools is critical to planning for and managing hybrid workplaces—including the ability to set desk and phone assignments, deploy and monitor occupancy and seat sensors, and manage all iterations of face-to-face and remote. 

Facilities. Supplement observation with key occupancy metrics—from cardkey and fob access swipes, utility use, as well as available parking ratio and weekly use. Assessing hybrid workplace readiness will require understanding your facility’s available communications infrastructure to support enhanced technology demand to host desk reservation systems and robust remote communication. Some landlords are offering selected tech solutions as amenities. 

Accounting & Finance. A comparison of your firm’s actual and projected profitability—pre- and post-pandemic—is a primary metric. Comparative practice group performance and growth data, attorney billings, future growth projections, as well as the firm’s total cost of occupancy in its current facilities are foundational.

Client Feedback & Priorities. Use this opportunity for attorneys to call key clients and gather direct information about each account’s priorities and evolving workflow and communication preferences.