Are law firms seeing the importance of work-life balance?

Posted in Latest News on 4 Aug 2015

It is well known that a role within the legal industry can often mean long hours. The data collected for our 2015 Salary and Benefits Benchmarker shows that on average, legal professionals work an extra 5.5 to 9.5 hours per week, while some criminal lawyers are logging up to 38 additional hours.

This has long been apparent across the market, although our data shows that the average hours worked has dropped dramatically since 2014. It seems that many firms are making steps to improve this further by introducing agile working environments. Top 100 firms DAC Beachcroft and Wedlake Bell have both started agile working initiatives in their firms, with hot-desking policies. This encourages staff to clear their desks at the end of the day, improving organisation of staff as well as the effectiveness and flexibility of the services offered.

Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance have taken their initiative even further, by encouraging partners to work from home when possible. As well as removing the commute from their working day, this makes working more flexible for partners who might have childcare commitments. Their Canary Wharf office is remarkable, hosting an on-site gym and pool, a restaurant, delicatessen and coffee bar, televisions in their social areas and a wellness centre. These benefits encourage staff to really take advantage of their down time, or conduct informal meetings with colleagues to allow them time away from their desks.

With more top firms introducing agile working schemes, it seems they’re seeing the importance of work-life balance, which could improve productivity and overall quality of service.

If you’re looking for a new role then contact us here to speak to one of our consultants. 

Share this post