It’s hard to stay motivated when your law firm is swamped with work. Employees can burn out fast and the work seems like it will never end. But as you’re trying to better manage your staff during these times, there are a few steps you can take to make things easier for everyone.
1. Monitor progress and hold check-ins
One of the best things you can do to keep staff on track is to stay in communication. Hold regular meetings to see how everyone is doing. Make sure to clearly discuss expectations and everyone’s role in the overall big picture.
Also, implement methods that track the progress of different teams so you can keep tabs on whether goals are being met. Ensure that your goals are measurable so that updates can be made to workflows if necessary. Setting benchmarks and deadlines will help team members stay motivated and accountable.
2. Encourage breaks and create boundaries
It’s crucial that your staff take regular breaks throughout the day. Taking time away for a walk, eating a snack, or talking to coworkers can help them feel refreshed when they return to the project at hand. They’ll quickly burn out if they’re working straight through all day every day.
On a similar note, create workplace boundaries and follow through with them. This means ensuring that law firm staff members are not staying at work after hours and that they’re taking a lunch break every day.
3. Offer your support and identify areas of need
You should be overseeing everything that’s going on within the law firm. Make sure all employees know they can come to you if something goes wrong or they feel overly stressed out about all the work coming in.
Pay attention to the areas that may need more support than others. Which employees or teams are struggling to meet goals? How can you help them get the tools or resources they need to turn things around? You will need to communicate regularly with other managers and team members to find out who needs your additional support.
Offer additional training or learning opportunities if necessary. It may also be a great time to hire a new employee or a contractor to help with the extra work.
4. Celebrate wins
Remember to create a positive atmosphere and not always focus on the negative. When something goes really well, celebrate that win. Allow everyone to take a break to reward themselves for a job well done.
It’s easy to focus on mistakes or setbacks, especially when your law firm is so busy and everyone is pitching in extra time. Make sure that you create an environment where people feel open about sharing their experiences so they can learn from each other and stay motivated to do better.
5. Emphasize the importance of work-life balance
Your teams may need to be reminded to leave their work at work and not take anything home with them. Communicate clearly that they should not check email after hours, if possible, and give them plenty of time to complete a project during working hours.
Educate and encourage them about taking care of themselves and improving well-being, which can be more challenging during busy times. Exercising, getting plenty of sleep, and following a healthy diet will help everyone get through all the work without too much stress.