Flexible Working Flexible working patterns are also critical in talent management. The COVID-19 pandemic paved the way for a new era of hybrid working, signalling a sea-change in workplace cultures and expectations. Last year, Cherie Blair KC said that the presenteeism endemic in the industry was a ‘curse’, adding that “we are not going back to the way things were.” While talent is in short supply, my colleague Claire Jamieson, talent partner at The Access Group, pointed out during a recent Access webinar that it can be framed as an opportunity, not a threat. She said: “People started to say, ‘this is the harmony that I wanted to have in life, having that ability to work from home and work from the office’. Having that balance is really what a lot of people are looking for.” Hybrid working has become something that many people expect as standard, in the legal profession and beyond. Cloudbased legal software that can be accessed at home, in the office and in court gives people the freedom to manage their day in a way that works for them, so they can be productive. It can take the pressure off having to commute into the office every day, without losing those vital connections with colleagues and clients. Legal tech is now increasingly available via subscription-style SaaS (‘software as a service’) packages so do not demand the same upfront costs, nor long implementation times associated with on-premise systems. This is important given that research by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) shows that lack of financial capital is the reason why firms are unwilling to invest in technology. In fact, around 58% of respondents said that it was a significant or very significant obstacle. Updates, security and servers are all managed by the provider too, allowing both fee-earners and internal IT teams to work more efficiently and keeping running costs down. Choosing a single provider, who can offer not just legal tech but a wider suite of business software such as finance management and HR and compliance solutions, can also be more costeffective. We know many firms value having a ‘one-stop-shop’ for technology, but they also want to partner with a provider who is continually adding new features and increasing the functionality of the system so it grows with them. Firms that migrate their operations to the cloud can confidently implement hybrid working models to attract the best and brightest talent, while also reducing financial and security risks (such as insecure VPNs). Regardless of business size, employees benefit from intuitive technology that allows them to deliver a high standard of service and make a valuable contribution to the firm’s success. It has been said many times that data is key to commercial success – and never is that truer than during a recession. 34 LAWYERMONTHLY JANUARY 2023
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