Attracting and Retaining Legal Talent During “The Great Resignation”

Prepare to meet the demands of talent in a candidate’s job market—or risk losing them to more accommodating competition or career changes  

A record number of professionals are reevaluating their professional lives in the wake of the pandemic. 

Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, a survey of 31,000 professionals published in March 2021, reports that “41% of the global workforce” was considering quitting. The publicity surrounding “The Great Resignation” since then suggests that many followed through with these plans.

It’s a wake-up call for leaders of law firms and legal departments. Now is the time to create conditions that will keep an organization’s existing employees satisfied and attract promising new hires. 

Navigating an “inflection point”

The pandemic rapidly transformed the way people work, and many industries are still reeling from this disruption. Nationwide lockdowns also gave people time to think about their work choices. 

Some individuals used this time to reexamine their professional priorities through the lens of work-life balance. And many professionals adjusted their mindsets and recalibrated their career plans in search of a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment. 

Younger workers were more likely to admit to “struggling” with aspects of remote work than their older colleagues, according to the Microsoft survey, and many of them are choosing to leave “conventional” jobs. But some analysts also point to the perceived success of our national work-from-home experiment as proof that work can accommodate life — with the right employer.

In “normal times,” some turbulence in the job market due to mass “quitting” is interpreted as a sign of a healthy economy. But these latest resignations are pointing to something else, and this time is far from ordinary. 

Finding a new way forward

Of the 41% of employees surveyed who were considering tendering their resignations, 46% agreed that they were likely to move because of the new possibility of working remotely.  

Many white-collar workers, particularly those with offices in large cities, have experienced the flexibility of remote work and are reluctant to return to the pre-pandemic standard. A growing percentage of them are choosing to leave the cities and inner suburbs for the more affordable cost of living in exurban or rural areas. They are ready to make working from home a permanent condition, and new market forces are on their side.   

The shortage of workers is compelling business owners nationwide to raise wages to attract new hires. In the legal profession, where compensation “wars” for top candidates are common, legal leaders also need to compete on non-salary terms. When weighing multiple offers, today’s in-demand candidates will look past starting salaries and signing bonuses to quality-of-life issues, company culture, and the endorsements of current and former employees.   

The hybrid remote/in-person work model offers law firms and legal departments the opportunity to accommodate the preferences of many employees while realizing the cost savings of a dispersed workforce. But implementing this arrangement is still a work in progress, with many potential pitfalls if it’s not managed strategically.

Leaders: get back in touch with your employees

If you fear your top lawyers are planning to join the Great Resignation, here are some suggestions for keeping them content. 

First, actively seek your team’s opinions. Both the Microsoft survey and one conducted by Gartner recently revealed evidence of a growing divide between leaders of organizations and their employees. Executives tended to fare better during the pandemic and had a rosier outlook. Many overestimated their employees’ satisfaction levels and believed new hybrid work options to be more flexible and accommodating than workers perceived these arrangements.

There is no one method to creating a flexible work culture. Author and organizational development expert Sue Bingham suggests that the best way to craft an effective hybrid solution that works for both leadership and employees is to “learn your team members’ circumstances for flourishing.” She encourages managers to ask difficult questions that get at what employees need and want to excel in their positions. Start with what the firm or department requires to operate effectively and reach its goals, solicit employee feedback, and then make every effort to build in flexibility within those parameters. 

While certain aspects of law are best conducted in person, and some legal leaders have insisted on full-time, on-site coverage, many are willing to meet their employees halfway.

It’s also essential that leaders let go of outdated measures of productivity. Rather than merely judging performance in terms of hours spent, specifically on non-billable activities, many add project- or goal-based tracking systems for remote work. In fully remote or hybrid models, it is also essential to use communication channels effectively. And remote workers’ contributions should be regarded as equal to their on-site counterparts.

Your reputation as an employer may depend on your success in establishing an inclusive, equitable, flexible, and employee-centered workplace. If your organization succeeds or fails, it won’t be kept secret. Social media, employer review sites, and word-of-mouth will see to that.

Carrington Legal Search is celebrating 20 years in business: we were in the trenches with our clients during 9/11 and 2008. We partner with our clients to identify leaders and mission-critical talent to shore up and grow companies even during the most challenging times. We are here for you! To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email carrie@carringtonlegal.com.