Lawyers won't take time off in the race for talent

Legal professionals are not using all of their annual leave out of fear it may jeopardise their chances of a pay rise or a promotion.

Research by recruitment consultancy Robert Walters revealed that over a third of lawyers did not take their full annual leave allocation in the last year, and one in ten took less than half of their allotted annual leave, while a quarter said they are unable to find the time to use more than 70 per cent.

The results suggest that leave goes unused due to workload pressures, fears over missing deadlines or simply because employers are turn down holiday requests.

The research comes amid an increase in 'talent shortages', which Robert Walters believes has been exacerbated by a freeze on hiring during the recession. As a result, demand is outstripping the supply of suitably qualified lawyers, especially in law firms and in-house departments where the amount of transactional work has increased in recent months.

Commenting on the survey's findings, Colin Loth, director of Legal Recruitment at Robert Walters, said: "There are plenty of reasons for legal professionals to be optimistic about their future. The improving economy has generated renewed demand for both advisory and transactional lawyers in areas such as corporate, finance, property and technology.

"As the race for talent picks up, it's vital that your organisation stands out from the competition. In addition to minimising the risks posed by burnout and low morale, encouraging staff to take all their annual leave means your business is more likely to earn a reputation as an attractive place to work."

Loth added: "While client needs will often take precedence, you can take steps to help staff plan for their holidays. By scheduling workloads appropriately and organising cover in advance, this will give them the opportunity to fully 'switch off' while away and ultimately return to the office feeling properly refreshed."

John van der Luit-Drummond is legal reporter for Solicitors Journal