How is hybrid really working for you? Anecdotally we’re hearing that working from home is leading to longer hours and a lack of separation between home life and work life. A recent REC survey found that the average working day for office workers had risen from 9 hours a day to 12 hours a day since home working began.
This month: Finding balance in a “Hybrid Working” world
With things set to stay more or less the same for the foreseeable future firms need to really think about how they are treating their staff whether at home or in the office. Staff at home need to feel trusted and in control of their working day. If you feel the need to be constantly in front of your screen then home working will give you few positive gains and simply replicate ‘presenteeism’ (the need to be seen in the office) in the work place.
Having spoken to many solicitors out there, some are feeling the pressure to be constantly “at work” and are struggling to switch off, well into the evening. Others are really making the most of the opportunity and taking a short walk or other time out to consider problems before returning to the screen to implement solution. That’s how it is meant to be done!
We certainly all need to be mindful of how we are working to ensure that our work situation is sustainable for the long term. Acceptance of home working and help to make it work in a balanced and realistic way should come from the leadership within a law firm.
As an individual if you are not getting that trust back from your firm then rest assured there are better options out there for you with firms who are doing things better!
