Natalie Atherall

How to onboard your legal employees remotely – top tips for employers

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and like many other industries, the legal sector has seen a real shift towards remote working in the last 15 months. Looking forward, it is highly likely that a hybrid way of working will continue. Local Authorities and other Public Sector clients seem much more open to hiring a legal locum or even a permanent member of the team from outside of the geographical area on the basis the role will be conducted fully remotely. Prior to 2020 and the pandemic, fully remote working opportunities were rare, but we have seen many more become available in recent months. With home working here to stay, onboarding new employees has never been more important. A well thought out onboarding process will help your legal professional feel equipped with the relevant tools and knowledge to settle and thrive in their new role – regardless of whether or not they are fully remote, office-based or a mix of the two. The legal recruitment market is extremely competitive, with prospective employers working hard to attract the best talent. Having a robust onboarding process in place means your new starter can get up to speed quickly and effectively, whilst also ensuring that they feel welcomed and engaged with their team and the wider organisation. Since March 2020, Sellick Partnership has facilitated many new legal locum and permanent placements, the majority of which have been on a remote working basis. After speaking to a number of my legal clients and candidates who have successfully navigated this process, I have collated some top tips to help employers create a good onboarding strategy for remote workers. Ensure your new starter is fully equipped with all relevant IT equipment, log in details and systems access Delays in having access to relevant systems can be a source of huge frustration for new legal professionals keen to get to grips with a new caseload. Make sure IT equipment is ordered and couriered out to them in plenty of time. Ensure log in details are requested from IT as soon as you have a start date confirmed. Either make arrangements to send them to your new starter prior to or on their first day so that they can access the system as soon as possible. The initial induction is also a good time to help get your new starter logged on to the system for the first time by walking them through the process. Make sure they know who/where to seek help for any IT related queries. Schedule in a virtual induction Book in an induction meeting for the first day. Video meetings work well as it is more personal and engaging to speak to someone face-to-face rather than over the telephone. Also consider sharing screens where possible. Take the time to give some background information on their immediate team and the wider organisation. Explain the team structure, who people are and what they do in their roles. Introduce your new legal professional to their wider team and the support staff via a video call. Welcome them into the wider team, put faces to names and help break the ice. This way, when your new starter may need to ask a colleague for some help, it will not be the first time they have spoken to them! Schedule in time for training on the case management system Where a case management system will need to be used, schedule in some time before allocation of work for your colleague to familiarise themselves. Offer training if appropriate. This may avoid any potential delays later down the line. Set clear expectations It is important to communicate what is expected of your new starter as they start to settle in. Guidance and targets can help in those early weeks of working remotely and provides tangible goals to work towards. Clearly explain any processes that will need to be followed. For example, how to record information on the case management system, how much communication you expect from them with regards to keeping you up-to-date with case files or their whereabouts. Make clear what admin/paralegal support is available to them and what they are expected to do for themselves. Have a virtual open door policy Often clients who require a legal locum need them to hit the ground running and work under minimal supervision. However, it is very important to convey an open door policy. Working remotely does not allow for on the desk learning or an impromptu conversation. Often a new starter may be hesitant to pick up the phone to ask for help therefore it is important that you make it clear that they can contact you at any time to ask for help or guidance. Getting to grips with a new system remotely can be tricky. Try to be there when needed and take the view that there is no such thing a stupid question! Even the most experienced legal professional sometimes needs a helping hand navigating a new internal system. Schedule regular supervisions Keeping in regular contact will provide the opportunity to review performance and iron out any teething problems. Provide the opportunity to discuss their workload and to share ideas with a manager and/or colleagues in the wider team. Keep it social One of the biggest things people miss whilst working from home is the social interaction. Not all team meetings have to be work related. Schedule in some time for a more casual, social interaction among the wider team. You may want to go one step further and consider arranging a virtual activity for your team. There is now a lot of choice available to suit remote working, such as online escape rooms, virtual wine tasting, team bingo and murder mysteries. Virtual team activities can help keep the team connected, motivated and engaged. Remote working has so far proven to work well for many organisations. One of the biggest advantages for employers who recruit a legal professional either on a part or full remote working basis, is access to a much wider talent pool not constrained by geographical location. By choosing to tailor your onboarding process and including some of these tips, you are enabling your new starter to settle in quickly and smoothly. If you are thinking of hiring a new legal professional either on a locum or permanent basis and wish to discuss your recruitment needs or the market generally, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Supporting your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing

I am writing this almost 12 months to the day since I packed up my laptop, my diary, a few bits of stationery and my office chair (which turned out to be a great decision) and drove home from our Manchester city centre office, after being told we were all moving to remote working ‘for a while’. My first feelings were ones of positivity – I wouldn’t miss the commute for a start! I was looking forward to a better work/life balance and felt safer working from home in those early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward 12 months and I still don’t miss the commute but I do miss my colleagues and the buzz of the office. Of course, home working is nothing new. Working in the legal recruitment sector I often speak with legal locums who advocate the benefits of working from home. However, many childcare locums haven’t been able to take advantage of working from home before because of the need to attend court hearings. Working as part of the legal public sector team at Sellick Partnership, we have witnessed increased demands on the childcare teams within local government as caseloads increase as a direct result of the pandemic; putting extra pressure on resource that is already stretched to the limit. Remote hearings have become the new normal and it appears for many this will continue into the future to varying degrees. The challenges of working from home For many, home working has made it more challenging to switch off in the evening or over the weekend. As a result, many people have found themselves inadvertently working longer hours. Some people also miss the social interaction of working in the office – not having that wider support network of the children’s team around them can be really difficult. There is no longer the opportunity to offload to a colleague after a court hearing or have an impromptu one-to-one with a manager to ask for their advice on a particular care case. You may even be missing being able to process the day’s events and switch off on the commute home. As home working to some degree is here to stay it is important to find ways to manage stress levels and learn to look after our own wellbeing; especially if you find yourself managing a very busy caseload of care proceedings and court hearings. I spoke with Maria Mander, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at The Growth Company and asked for her advice on how as a childcare locum you ensure you look after yourself. Top tips on how to look after mental, emotional and physical wellbeing Maria Mander – Health and Wellbeing Specialist at The Growth Company During a challenging period, your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing will fluctuate, so it is important to invest in yourself on a daily basis. To do this, check-in with yourself everyday to see how you are doing. What do you need right now? Do you have the right strategies to support yourself? Do you require support from others? Make time for yourself You are your greatest asset and you can’t run on empty. There are 24 hours in a day, so set aside 30 minutes into your day for you to switch off and relax, whether it is to watch your favourite TV programme, read a book, play a game, do some gardening, listen to music, cook a new recipe, or have a soak in the bath. Switching off and having time to yourself will relieve stress and help you to be more productive at work. Set daily limits If you are constantly worrying and feeling overwhelmed, set “worry time” to go through your concerns each day. Allow yourself to watch the news once a day to keep informed – that is enough. Tune out of social media and any negative conversations as this won’t serve you. Connect Connection is vital to support your mental wellbeing. Ensure you connect daily with your family, friends, teams and colleagues via video calls (e.g. WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype), phone or email. Schedule chats into your day to make sure they happen. Keep active Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety, plus it will make you feel good. Take a daily walk/run/bike ride during daylight. If staying indoors, there are plenty of online workouts. Keep moving around during the day and take regular breaks from sitting down at your desk/laptop. Take notice Be mindful of your thoughts and observe if they are negative. You are the controller of your mind and master of your thoughts. Focus on what you can control and let go of what you can't. Look for all the good and positive things around you. At the end of each day write down 3 things you are grateful for to cultivate a positive mindset. Learn Use lockdown as an opportunity to learn a new skill. Re-discover an old interest. Do an online course. Read a book. Listen to a podcast. Be curious and seek out new opportunities to stimulate the brain. Learning something new also boosts confidence and self-esteem. Give Say thanks, be kind, look out for your neighbours and anyone who is vulnerable in your community. Acts of kindness increases life satisfaction and happiness. A huge thank you to Maria for all the tips above. If you are struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It may be as simple as sitting down with your manager and asking for support, making time in your day to call a colleague, friend or family member and catching up or seeking out professional help. You must remember you are not alone and there is support out there for you if you need it. As recruiters our job isn’t simply to help people secure new roles and to remind you to submit a timesheet, it is to also support our legal locums through the whole process and be there when needed if things start getting tough. We are an extension of your professional network and we love to talk! So please don’t be afraid to pick up the phone, we are here to help. Maria Mander Maria Mander is a Health & Wellbeing Specialist at The Growth Company. She is a renowned expert in employee wellbeing and provides specialist advice on the Skills For Growth Programme supporting SME’s across Greater Manchester to develop a healthy, thriving and productive workforce for business success. For the last 3 years, Maria operated her own company providing Wellbeing Consultancy providing strategic direction to SME’s and corporate companies (both private and public sectors) across the UK and globally. She was an award winner on the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme. Maria brings a fresh holistic approach to wellbeing in the workplace applying techniques gained from being a Life Coach, an accredited Mindfulness & Meditation Tutor and Reiki Master Practitioner. She is passionate about inspiring others to make positive changes in their lives, both personally and professionally.