Remote Work Productivity Tips for Law Firm Employers

A significant portion of legal professionals transitioned to remote work as a matter of need during the pandemic. The industry seems torn on whether or not remote work needs to continue. Persuasive arguments can be made that it should, but rather than get into that debate again, let’s focus on what matters: productivity.

How can law firm employers improve their employees’ remote working habits for greater productivity?

We’ve gathered our perspective from years of working with law firms and, of course, doing our own work both in and out of the office. Here are some tips, tricks, and must-haves to share with your employees on being a maximally productive legal professional while working from home.

Tip #1: Have a More Productive Remote Work Mentality

Some people transition to remote work without any trouble or fanfare. However, for many people, the challenge of working from home is all about mentality. We’ve all been around people who are incredibly productive at their desks but get almost nothing done away from them.

As a law firm manager, encouraging a productive remote work mentality is key. Here are some things that can help those who find remote work difficult or who just want to find ways they can improve what they’re doing:

• Maintain a routine. For many people, mindset is tied to the “ritual” of going to work. Get up. Get dressed. Get coffee. Commute to the office. It’s like a transformation occurs in those steps. If an employee you want to retain is having trouble being productive from home, have them re-establish their ritual and see if that makes a difference.
  
• Make work time sacred. One of the greatest temptations of remote work for employees is to work around the things they like or need to do at home. That may be necessary if there are home distractions like children, but by and large, it’s more productive for your employees to define and segment their working time.
  
• Work a regular schedule. Having your employees set their hours does two things. First, it sets a boundary between work and life. Second, it helps everyone on the team be more efficient by knowing exactly when everyone is working and when they can be reached.
  
• Start and end the day with an appointment. When your employees have a defined beginning and end to their day, it sets clear mental brackets around everything work-related, a kind of mental fence. On the outside, home. On the inside, work.
  
• Time block or plan each day. Time-blocking is an old technique, but it can work wonders for some of your employees. Having a plan makes getting things done easier than being left with analysis paralysis. If they know what they should be doing, they’re more likely to do it.
  

Tip #2: Create a More Productive Remote Workspace

The home office is a ubiquitous space these days – many new homes even include one by design. Setting up a home office is an essential step toward maximum productivity for your employees.  

Here are a few productivity-maximizing tips to share with your team:

• Have a single-minded, single-purpose office. Have your home office be a work-only space. No personal work, tools, or other distractions allowed! You don’t want someone coming into the office while you’re working, so don’t have anything in it they could need.
  
• Make sure the space is well-lit. Whether you let natural light in through the windows or invest in fixtures and bulbs, a well-lit space increases alertness, reduces eye strain, and is generally more conducive to working.
  
• Decorate your home office like a work office. Adorn the walls of your home office just as you would your work office. This is about recreating an environment where you feel productive. Avoid things that take you out of an office mindset.
  
• Create visual and aural boundaries. If you can see outside your office and into your house – to a TV for instance – that’s a distraction. If you have a door or doors to your office, close them. Take other steps to insulate yourself from distractions.
  

As manager, you want to ensure that your employees are in the right work space and head space.

Tip #3: Tools That Help Your Remote Team Be More Productive

Empower your remote workers with tools that enable them to be productive.

A remote worker has to ensure certain conditions are met on their end. They must have:

• a quick and reliable internet connection
  
• an uninterrupted power supply even during inclement weather (within reason)
  
• a crisp microphone
  

Most firms are going to want employees to use firm-owned equipment, at least as far as computing is concerned. This enables you to install uniform security measures and provide tech support for everyone at a reasonable cost and speed.

Of course, the most vital tool in a law firm’s remote work arsenal is its case management software. Here are a couple of things to think about when you’re choosing or upgrading your software:

• Integration saves time. If you’re switching between windows, programs, and devices, you’re not producing. A fully integrated suite of software gives you an efficient, all-in-one place to get work done.
  
• Automation saves even more time. Automating tasks that people would normally do means cutting out busy work and tedium so they can focus on what matters: results-driven productivity. It also helps avoid time-consuming mistakes.
  
• Security anytime, anywhere. The last thing your law firm needs is a data leak or security breach, and those things become greater risks when people are connecting from different places. A software suite with security baked in makes your life easier.
  

Your Law Firm Can Be More Productive – Even With Remote Work

This isn’t rocket science. If an employee can perform their duties, work diligently, confidentially, competently, and be communicative, working remotely saves both you and them time and money. Employees have to hold up their end of the bargain, and you should too. If you need the right software to help you empower your employees to achieve maximum productivity, we can help.

We know how to make remote work.

Get your 15-minute demo today!

Read More:
• 5 Strategies to Improve Productivity Among Your Remote Employees
• Remote Productivity Case Study
• Important Metrics for Remote Law Firm Employees