Here’s why you never post on a Friday!

There are three key factors that drive the amount of time an employed lawyer in private practise?should?spend directly on client matter files:

1.?????Their role-required FirmTime? in pursuit of the firm’s business plan...

2.?????The total time they are contracted to actually invest for their remuneration package.

3.?????The amount of client file work available to them to work on in the remaining time (2-1)

Two into one doesn’t go...except in maths, so if ClientTime? (and therefore, probably, fee targets) are too high, based on points 1. and 2. above, they are unreasonable and must be adjusted downwards.

Key proviso...FirmTime? must be appropriate. “General Administration” or “Miscellaneous” must not be a blind for too little available client file work, or poor time utilisation.

Poor time utilisation has many causes...including the undoubtedly powerful distractions of social media. Heads-up...it's almost NEVER work.

All appropriate work is valuable, and total time actually invested in work??(after deducting private time) must not increase unreasonably to enable meeting of fee targets.

Robservation...

A well-designed system will provide for hybrid working and high degrees of flexibility to allow each team member to arrange their private and work lives to best suit their particular circumstances, enabling them to reasonably comfortably deliver fully in both.

This approach in my experience is a good contributor to management of team member physical and mental well-being, provided that employer and employee fully understand each other.

Time management is an important skillset.

It does not follow that if a team member is a poor manager of time, it is absolutely ok for them to produce less, potentially under greater stress, than a co-worker with the same role and remuneration package who is a good manager of time.

It may be that, for some, the adjustment to make life easier and “healthier” cannot come from improving their time management skillsets, but has to come from taking on a role and associated remuneration that the individual can actually cope with.

Alter the role, expectations and responsibilities, and remuneration/benefits, to suit the individual?

Transparency...What a radical thought!

So, why not post on a Friday?

Most people are pre-occupied with much higher priorities than reading your post, no matter how short and/or interesting.

Why have I posted on a Friday? I was busy looking after clients yesterday, and will be busy looking after my physical and mental health tomorrow...quite apart from being an ardent non-conformist!

Have a superb weekend one and all. Stay safe and well.