CBA Record July-August 2022

sional development by way of workshops, seminars, or mentorship programs helps foster the need for involvement. Make sure partners form close ties with asso ciates. Taking an interest in their career aspirations and development as attorneys helps associates feel you are truly invest ing in them. At the end of the day, the solution to employee retention might be more obvi ous than expected: ask employees what they want! You don’t necessarily need to be prepared to provide every component they ask for but asking employees how you can make them feel more content in their roles communicates to them that you value their presence in the firm. Feedback is the heart of improvement. It prevents the buildup of discontent while also pre venting you from wasting time focusing on retention efforts that don’t matter much to the employees you’re trying to retain. The steps you take now to retain exist ing talent at your firm will save you time and money in the long run. The best way to avoid having to hire in 2022 is to turn your attention towards retention.

LPMT BITS & BYTES BY ANNE HAAG Attention on Retention

2 021’s so-called Great Resignation saw 47 million US workers leave their jobs, leaving nearly half of employers with roles that they have had trouble filling. You have likely noticed the impacts of this trend, whether when facing long checkout lines in retail stores due to staff shortages, or perhaps more acutely within your own firm. In the legal field, associate turnover has increased dramati cally. Data from Thomson Reuters reveals that turnover among associates increased from 15% to nearly 25% in 2021. One in five attorneys under the age of 40 indi cate that they are considering leaving the profession. Overall, a McKinsey study found 40% of US workers are at least somewhat likely to leave their job within the next 3-6 months, and more than half of employers are experiencing a lower-than normal employee retention rate. If you have or want to hire any employ ees, these numbers are likely worrisome. Hiring is expensive and cumbersome under normal circumstances, but the pres ent hiring atmosphere in the wake of the Great Resignation has exacerbated these difficulties dramatically. In this climate where prospective employees have the bulk of the power, employers need to consider the importance of employee retention and try to avoid having to hire new employees wherever possible. If you’re faced with open positions you can’t fill, the first step is to assess why the previous employee left in the first place. What are employees looking for from their workplace in 2022? Although salary increases never hurt, they should no longer be your only consider ation when looking to retain current or attract new employees.

Employees are focusing increasingly on work/life balance in all areas of the workforce. Law firm associates are no exceptions. Research indicates that asso ciates would accept less money if the tradeoff gave them more time to travel or pursue other interests while alleviating some stress of a heavier workload. On the employer side, addressing this shift involves creating more space for those factors while fostering a firm culture that values mental health and sees employees from a holistic perspective, with interests and concerns outside of the firm. Assuming that you are already paying all your employees a competitive wage that allows them to live comfortably, you might need to consider expanding employee benefits. Ten days of vacation time is no longer a competitive offer ing. PTO is key in providing employees the time to travel and take breaks from work so they can de-stress and recharge. Emphasizing mental health within the firm also helps employees feel cared for and valued. Make sure your health insur ance covers expenses related to mental health and encourage employees to take advantage of those offerings. Mental health needs to be more than just a talk ing point within the firm, so make sure you are receptive when employees broach the topic or express their needs to you. After more than two years of unprec edented levels of social isolation, people want to feel that they are a part of some thing in the workplace. Associates and staff are looking for a sense of commu nity while at work. All employees need to feel that they are a valued part of the

Nielsen Career Consulting Career Counseling For Attorneys Coaching support for your career in or out of the law • Career Transition • Job Search • Interview Prep • Professional Development • Difficult Workplace Guidance • Wellness Support Over 30 years of experience counseling over 5,000 lawyers and other professionals.

firm. Offering opportunities for profes Anne Haag is the CBA’s Law Practice Management Advisor, a certified crisis intervention counselor, and avolunteerwithResilience as a trauma informed ER advocate for sexual assault survivors.

Sheila Nielsen, MSW, JD sheila@nielsencareerconsulting.com

48 July/August 2022