What will the prevalent work ethos be in ten years' time?

The foundations of the legal environment we currently work in were laid down by generations of lawyers who ascribed to hard work, something akin to the Protestant work ethic. 

But, with a new technology-based cohort of professionals ascending the ranks and gaining more influence, that prevailing work ethic is – I believe – coming increasingly under threat.

The Protestant approach (historically based on the value of sheer, continuous hard work, all in God’s name) will be organically supplanted by something more like the Wu Wei ethic. 

The Wu Wei work ethic is rather different, its name deriving from a term in Taoist philosophy meaning ‘non-action’ or ‘non-doing’. It is based on being able to differentiate between when effort is appropriate and when it’s wasted. One academic, Fritjof Capra, describes it as ‘not working against the grain of things, of waiting for the right moment without forcing anything unduly.’ It is a philosophy that appears increasingly popular among younger workers.

So, what should we do? Show this emerging millennial generation that they need to step into line and follow systems and processes that have been in place for years, or adopt their new way of working?

Winning firms will be those that agree to move on with the next generation and aren’t so stuck in their ways that they fear doing anything differently. 

On the whole, we are told that millennials – or Generation Y as they are sometimes known – are not prepared to adhere to the ‘coat on the back of the chair’ culture that Baby Boomers pliantly complied with. This can prove a problem for those who earned their stripes by putting in the hours, enduring the late-night or all-night sessions, and missing their children’s events. 

Those of us who may feel threatened by change hide our vulnerability behind tirades about ineffective computer systems and poor training. But, a lot of the resistance is about our fear of what we don’t know and the reluctance to invest time in new methods, even when – at an intellectual level – we know the change will be helpful in the long run. 

The knowledge that millennials have, particularly around technology, and their ability to navigate around complex systems can significantly help businesses modernise and become more efficient. And, while some partners are busy trying to mould their millennials into mini version of themselves, indoctrinated into ancient traditions and ways of working, their clients are listening to their millennials and taking on new ideas that will improve their businesses. 

There is no doubt that the quickest way to get a lawyer to change the way they work is for a client to request them to change. Solicitors live in a ‘here and now for the client’ world that perpetuates resistance to change. However, the older generation of lawyers must be aware of the fact that we are starting to see clients who are millennials: when they choose a lawyer, they are looking for commercial synergies, someone who understands them and the way they work. 

In ten years’ time I think we will be much more innovative and proactive about thinking about what our clients might need. 

We have to bear in mind that millennial lawyers are at the forefront of modern consumer behaviour. They offer us the best chance of learning how to translate that consumer behaviour into our business development strategies. 

For example, when you visit Amazon and you buy something, Amazon comes up with a list of suggestions for other things you might want to buy. We are getting used to being told what we might like and being led to what we want on websites. Such a proactive value-add could easily translate across to legal services – the client is looking not only for advice but also suggestions as to what they might need in addition. Lawyers need to become better at pre-empting client needs. 

Finally, social communication models are the modus operandi for millennials. Whatever the pros and cons of instant updates and baring all, these employees are used to sharing information and, more importantly, are happy to ‘follow’ others to keep abreast of what is happening. Communication is the key to a thriving business and millennials are good at it.

Going forwards, lawyers need to embrace process change, take a brave pill, and try working differently.

Louise Hadland is HR director at Shoosmiths @Shoosmiths www.shoosmiths.co.uk