The emergence of coronavirus shook the legal industry to its core. According to the Annual Legal Trends report, the average number of new cases across the US dropped by as much as 40% when compared to pre-COVID statistics. Fortunately, there is a silver lining to be found!
Profoundly disruptive events like a pandemic create an opportunity for growth. One of the changes many law firms can commit to is building a more positive corporate culture. In this article, we’re going to review and discuss some strategies you can use to help you rebuild a positive corporate culture in the wake of coronavirus. Let’s get started!
Address any health or safety concerns
Many legal professionals feel a great deal of anxiety about the idea of returning to “business as usual” because they felt left behind by the previous order. To rebuild a positive culture you need to ensure that all employees, shareholders, and clients feel confident in your health and safety measures. As an example, this could take the form of privately surveying employees to determine if there are any individuals who cannot get vaccinated or who need special accommodations.
Acknowledge the impact of the pandemic
Before making changes for the benefit of your firm, remember that your employees were deeply impacted by the pandemic and some of them suffered serious family loss or economic damage. While you don’t need to dwell on the hurt and the pain of the past year, it’s equally important that you acknowledge the losses. Make an effort to provide reasonable accommodations for people who are struggling, such as allowing them to continue remote work.
Focus on trust and operational continuity
The global pandemic had a massive impact on business continuity. Many firms were caught off-guard, and even those who took precautions could not have imagined the scale of the negative impacts. Your employees will have understandable concerns about business stability and the leadership’s plan to respond to changes. Honesty is the best policy here! For example, if your firm is dealing with significant change, such as the departure of a founding partner, be upfront and transparent about the reasons for the exit. Share how you will redistribute responsibilities and how the day-to-day might change.
Final Thoughts
Thanks for reading! We hope these tips have given you some insight into how you can rebuild a positive corporate culture as your workforce returns from quarantine. If you enjoyed this article, let us know on social media!
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns. At First Legal, we’re here for you from File Thru Trial™!
