Reducing turnover is a priority for most law firms. Turnover costs money and time, which is more money, and it disrupts routine and morale. Some ways to change the pattern:
Hiring Practices
It begins with hiring. Better practices produce better hires and less turnover. Hiring has traditionally rested on which law school the candidate attended, how high the scores were, and how much experience followed. Those are important factors, and they are only part of the picture. The intangibles matter too:
- Personal motivation and drive.
- Goal-setting and vision.
- Emotional intelligence.
- Business acumen.
- People skills, both for client service and melding with current staff.
Then consider the other side of a good hire. Is your firm a place people want to work? Does it offer:
- Competitive compensation, plus a little.
- Opportunity for growth and continued education.
- Benefits people now expect, including flexibility and current technology.
- Challenges equivalent to the position.
Finally, seeking talent in the right places makes a positive impact:
- Build relationships with the strongest law schools, without ruling out the smaller ones.
- Use an employee referral program. Most of your staff have friends in the profession, they know who is good, and they are not going to risk their own standing on someone whose ability or fit is questionable.
- Work with a search firm that specializes in the legal profession. Choose one whose recruiters know the law and have a reputation for well-matched placements.
Onboarding Program
Establishing a solid onboarding program can make a significant difference.
Ensure That Your Firm
- Follows through on introductions, building connections with the people the new hire will work alongside.
- Plans events that break the ice.
- Provides real training and information.
- Gives specific instructions early, without holding back genuine challenges.
- Sets clear goals.
Inviting Culture
A culture that values people is not optional. Your attitudes and actions are what prove it.
- Give the work meaning. Every member of staff should understand the firm’s goals and how their work fits into them.
- Lawyers are skilled at running a fine-tooth comb over the details and finding the small errors. Resist doing that with your staff’s work. Notice what they do well. A compliment at the right moment builds loyalty.
- Recognize achievement, the milestones and the stepping stones both, in person, in writing and in kind.
- Take the time to know something about their lives outside the office.
- Be genuine, and connect. When management works alongside staff at every level, the whole culture moves with it.
Invest in Your Staff
Give them a reason to stay by building a practice that values staff and encourages personal and professional growth.
- Challenge your staff. Give them the authority and tools they need to carry out the challenge. Stand behind them in confidence and trust.
- Set high expectations, and be flexible on hours and location so that people can hold a life together.
- Give your staff the opportunity to develop their expertise in more than one area.
- Encourage continued education with financial backing.
- Offer membership to professional legal affiliations.
In Summary
A new hiring strategy, a solid onboarding program, a culture that recognizes its people, and real professional growth together make a powerful package, and one that tends toward engaged talent and lower turnover.
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At OnBoard Legal we work with law firms and corporate legal departments to connect them with that talent, combining experience, expertise and market knowledge. Contact us to learn more.