The Workplace Riddle: 5 Questions About Returning to Your Law Office

The “returning to the office” discussion is an opportunity to consider the physical space and policy changes. Amy Collins discusses 5 critical questions for law firms returning to the office in Attorney at Work.

Going back to normal for law firms may present a particular challenge, given a working landscape where the traditional office is eroding daily.

Loeb Leadership finds that “67% of lawyers and staff want to continue to work remotely, even when it’s safe to return to offices.” At the same time, people do miss their co-workers, the close community and the culture of the office. Depression is on the rise, and mentoring and training programs have suffered serious setbacks, which will likely have a negative, multiyear impact on young lawyers.

Returning to the office may relieve some of these issues — if the office prioritizes flexibility and freedom of choice and provides the culture-building environment that is so sorely missed.

Here are 5 questions that should be discussed before returning to the office:

1. Is your workplace important?
2. How do your people work?
3. Will people have the ability to choose when and where to work?
4. Will people have dedicated or shared individual spaces?
5. How confident are you about the future of your firm?

Read the answers to the questions in the Attorney at Work article, “The Workplace Riddle: 5 Questions About Returning to Your Law Office.”