How can investment in staff lead to staff investment in the business?

Law firms typically focus on WIP, billing targets and the client experience as the big drivers of success. But ignoring your employees could be incredibly detrimental, says Karen Burwood, head of HR at The Family Law Company.

The pressures facing family lawyers have been documented across the legal press over the last few months. You don’t have to look far to see discussions on the cuts in legal aid, parents facing burnout from endless balancing acts, or the backlog suffered by the courts, which have struggled hugely this year – and there are similar experiences across many other practice areas.

Is it any wonder then that, for many employees, the goal has become just about making it through the day and bringing home the paycheque? This isn’t good for your colleagues or for your business.

By strategically investing in your people, you not only retain and attract strong recruits but you also have the opportunity to create a culture where employees are willing to adapt to change, innovation and failure as much as the successes. Your employees, not just the senior team, feel empowered to openly discuss issues and ideas for the good of the business. Whether it’s a new client call co-ordinator creating fact sheets for clients to free up time for lawyers or a director developing a mentoring scheme to support employees’ personal development, each ultimately drives success for the business.

Opportunities for upward mobility

As any HR professional knows, recruiting and training employees comes at great expense. Offering appropriate training and career progression opportunities can greatly relieve this burden. After all, who knows the business better than someone on the inside, getting to know your employees and their personal ambitions, who then trains and supports them, every step of the way.

Succession planning has always been an area of concern for the legal sector, particularly for small or mid-sized firms. At The Family Law Company, we’ve recently launched our directorship programme, a transparent approach that encourages employees to develop the skills, qualities and sharing of aspirations that are needed to join our board. Too often recruitment to the board is addressed only when there is a need to replace a retiring director. Why not instead show your employees and new hires that you are committed to career development and diversity of skills? Nurture their loyalty and, as they progress, so will the opportunities that such investment brings.

Grow your employer brand

If your employees feel valued, word will get out. Your external communications may share cake bakes, virtual drinks and smiling faces but this will only be authentic if employees’ perception of the leadership and business mirrors those sentiments. Do good for them and they will do good for your business. Provide opportunities for continual learning, such as buying them a book they’ve shown interest in reading, or offering personalised training. Think carefully about your internal communications. Overinflated gestures might look good on social media but a simple thank you also goes a long way. Cultivating a supportive environment benefits everyone.

Attracting and retaining high-calibre employees

If you grow a reputation for these key points, you’re halfway there. But any business needs to have a steady stream of talented individuals joining and onboarding them will be a key step. Investing in supporting people from the very beginning will not only help them get up to speed quickly but will make them feel valued too.

Ensuring employees know their development matters to you early on will make them less likely to move on to another company. This gives the employer a competitive edge.

Dee Hock famously said, “An organisation, no matter how well designed, is only as good as the people who live and work in it.” I think within The Family Law Company this certainly rings true. Lack of investment in your employees – both in terms of money and time – will ultimately slow any advancement. Embrace it and the possibilities are vast. After all, who doesn’t want to work in a business where they feel valued?