How L&D teams can help law firms to build more resilient workforces

When a firm is made up of resilient individuals, it usually has good levels of productivity, low levels of sickness-related absence, better-than-average retention figures and great client satisfaction ratings, because clients are working with positive, motivated individuals. All of this makes the firm attractive to new clients and talented future employees. So, how can a firm ensure its staff and partners are resilient, especially at a time when we are asking people to do more with less resources?

Resilience has to come from a combination of organisational factors, coupled with the capability of individuals to be resilient. Resilience is about an individual being able to ‘bounce back’ from difficult situations, possibly even failure. Resilience is required when projects are derailed and when clients or colleagues present challenging behaviours. It is needed when individuals are faced with perhaps excessively high levels of expectations by others or when their workload continues to pile up at a relentless pace.

Developing resilience

To develop resilience, an L&D team can help individuals to address the following:

• communication skills;

• confidence and self-belief;

• commitment;

• clarity and focus; and

• challenge and control.

The development of communication skills is often the ‘bread and butter’ of L&D functions and can be coupled with the development of confidence and commitment by helping individuals to focus on solid goals and objectives and how to work to achieve them.

By using coaching and mentoring, individuals can develop their ability to change the way that they think about negative events or situations, and reframe them more positively into new goals and targets. It is well documented that an optimistic outlook is a choice one can make. But, this is not usually achieved without conscious effort and an environment and culture in which effort and failure are understood and accepted.

The L&D function will promote the practice of learning from mistakes. As individuals, we are more likely to understand what does or does not work when we experience failure. We can therefore develop further by stretching ourselves and stepping outside the boundaries of our comfort zones. Encouraging individuals to accept challenges and to learn how to control what is within their realm of control and not become agitated or even stressed by factors beyond their influence will foster greater resilience.

Having a good support network is an essential component of remaining resilient. Improving networking skills in lawyers and focusing on how they can utilise the support available from both professional and social networks is also core work for most L&D teams.

It should not be forgotten that individuals need to take responsibility for their own health and fitness, which are core elements of being resilient. Getting enough sleep, eating healthily and exercising regularly are important factors of a well-balanced lifestyle, which breeds greater resilience. This is easier said than done for many people but, nonetheless, very important to try to achieve if ‘burnout’ is to be avoided. Helping managers to learn how to recognise signs and symptoms of fatigue in their team members is where L&D can help in
this area.

If the L&D team is to be effective in supporting the development of resilience, the firm needs to ensure that its culture and environment are conducive to driving up levels of morale and motivation. Clarity of purpose and recognition of the contribution of individuals towards strategic and operational goals and targets is essential; no one likes to work without a sense of purpose. The imposition of realistic timeframes for projects and initiatives is critical.

Professionals pride themselves
on doing a good job; pressures which
impact the quality of the work they produce can be counterproductive in
the long run, especially if the pace of work is relentless. Clear communication
of expectations will assist enormously with the generation of a naturally optimistic and positive environment in which individuals are allowed to thrive
and drive activity forward.

Long-term growth

In the long term, resilience will be developed and maintained when the firm has adequate and appropriate resources in place and when the firm and its individuals work together to create positive working relations within and between teams. Individuals will also need to take responsibility for their personal outlooks to ensure they come from a positive place and stay fit and healthy so that they can fully enjoy the work they do for their clients.

Sue Beavil is UK learning and organisational development manager at international law firm Slater & Gordon (www.slatergordon.co.uk)