Remote Work Strategies That Are Here to Stay

For most legal professionals, the disruptions caused by the spread of COVID-19 will ease over the next few months, if not years. That gives teams breathing space to work out which pandemic practices make sense to retain, and which ones should be gradually discarded.  

One that’s here to stay is the need to communicate clearly across a diverse range of channels. Legal professionals who thrived over the past year are generally those who quickly adapted to virtual communications, such as video meetings and remote depositions, and maintained a positive and productive relationship with colleagues and clients. 

Even if you feel like you achieved this, don’t be complacent. Keeping remote workers in the loop should be a top priority. Shared experiences such as a pandemic tend to bring people together, but morale may quickly ebb if remote members of a hybrid workforce feel isolated or left behind. Transparency and a commitment to sharing information will help avoid this, ensuring that everyone knows what their colleagues are working on and how they prefer to communicate. While managers will take the lead on this, employees who go the extra mile to help keep the team united may be marked as future leaders. 

Technology is another area essential tool. Without cloud-based practice management solutions to process the vast quantities of data flowing into law firms and legal departments, full compliance will be near impossible. During the pandemic, remote legal professionals have become increasingly tech-savvy and autonomous — a trend that should continue as companies and firms look to streamline operations and minimize office populations. 

This ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances has a common thread during the pandemic. Some other practices will fall away, but an adaptable mindset will always serve you well.