Journeying into the new world of work Employment

Where once salary, holidays and associated terms and conditions were the default setting for many a candidate, today’s prospective employees have markedly different priorities.

From environmental, social and governance responsibilities to hybrid working and the creation of a diverse and inclusive culture, workers’ expectations of companies have significantly changed. they were told, out of fear of losing their job.

And it is crucial businesses take heed.

Those that do, the ones that redefine frameworks and embrace a more democratic environment, will make themselves magnets for top talent, in the process accelerating growth and furthering expansion ambitions.

Those that don’t, however, will find themselves shunted into the slow lane.

The workforce of today, young and old, however, has had enough.

They don’t want a cumbersome hierarchy, an all-sticks and no-carrots approach to performance, inflexibility and no work/life balance.

They want a kinder and fairer way of working - and rightly so.

And it’s up to business leaders to set the standard.

People want to be able to come to work as themselves, have some autonomy and choice over day-to-day activities, and be empowered to act and make decisions.

They want to be fairly rewarded and recognised for their contribution, feel valued and have a clear sense of direction and purpose – for them and the business.

Gone are the days of micromanagement, autocracy and ‘everything needs to go past x’ - working collaboratively and considering the interests of all stakeholders is key.

Words by Gill Hunter Managing partner at Square One Law

There is a tendency when leading a business to focus on the external. But the world of work is evolving, and now, more than ever, leaders must ensure they are engaged with their people and ready to embrace change like never before. Here, Gill Hunter, managing partner at Square One Law, explains more.

4We have a national skills shortage across most sectors and business types, so retaining, training and motivating your existing team is crucial.

And this doesn’t mean pandering to a so-called ‘snowflake’ generation - it means understanding what makes your team tick and valuing them as individuals, rather than ‘human resources’.

Most law firms have been well behind the curve when it comes to wellbeing, team development and progressive leadership.

The innately competitive nature of the chargeable hours culture and the lack of tolerance for any perceived weakness have led to a fairly toxic and unhealthy environment in a lot of places.

A lawyer, who joined us from a large London firm, told me how, after zero sleep following three nights of work on a major deal, they were sent home in a taxi, told to go into their house, touch the wall and return to work to fool their body and mind into thinking they’d had a rest.

A ridiculous proposition, but they did as

Leaders must be inclusive, not to tick ED&I boxes but to create stronger decision-making processes that replace echo chambers of like-minded folk.

Diversity is important, not just because its right (opportunity should be equal for all), but because business is better.

And at Square One Law, we are determined to break the mould.

We are creating frameworks to accommodate difference and create a more equitable workplace.

We are exploring different ways of running the business, shaking up meetings and using different approaches to encourage challenge and overcome the perpetual problem of ‘owner’s truth’.

We have created a number of forums to listen to, and learn from, our people.

We are redefining what it means to be professional, which isn’t about the suit you wear, the colour of your hair or the long hours you work.

True professionalism means delivering the best service you can, all while taking great interest in yours and your team’s personal development.

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