Articles From the Team

Spend a little, get a lot

As I write this, I am 36,000ft in the air flying to warmer climates, one of the cultural capitals of Europe, Barcelona. Although there is work to be done, as it is a work trip, there is also an opportunity to take in the sites or kick back on the beach and enjoy a well earned break. Now I am not sat here thinking about how to tell everyone about my holiday plans, but as this is a very generous BCL Legal reward, this has got me thinking about how Law Firms incentivise, motivate and reward their workforce.

Law firms across the City do this to varying degrees, but I believe a creative approach to this not only attracts the best lawyers but increased productivity substantively. The age old saying “spend a little, get a lot” seems fitting here. Clearly I’m not reinventing the wheel by stating that pay or bonuses are pretty high on the list of any current or prospective employee but it’s when a comparable firm, offering comparable work and remuneration are competing for candidate, which is very common in this marketplace, the emphasis and deciding factor might be placed on these innovative rewards.

Now, most firms provide “perks”, perhaps a subsidised Starbucks (other Barista’s are available), dry cleaning, onsite GP’s and even free taxis after a certain time. But the fact is, these are designed to keep staff in the office, so are a sort of false positive. In order to make a real impact on the decisions of prospective new hires, a law firm needs to re think, break the norms and provide their staff with the same level of attention and innovation they provide their clients as standard. Easier said than done.

It’s about making employees valued, so that those endless hours spent at a desk are worth more than just money in the bank. I recently met with a client who operate a “transfer window” system whereby each employee gets the opportunity to transfer into another department, a sort if internal secondment and if there is a business need and a desire to stay, they can. Although this doesn’t suit everyone, I thought it was a novel way to keep staff engaged and interested in their work. I suppose this stood out for me as it’s something I haven’t heard of before and is certainly something I would like to see more.

So as the market gets more competitive, perhaps thinking along these lines would give you the edge in recruitment. I know I have come back from my time in Barcelona, celebrating BCL Legal’s successes, engaged, motivated and striving to qualify for the next trip away.

For more information please contact Tyler Fitzpatrick or visit our website BCL Legal.