UNSEEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Attorney, tell me what your legal support personnel do for you and your firm/office.

Attorney, now tell me what your office/firm does for the support personnel.

There are many essential but invisible contributions made by your staff every day, not part of their job duties but nonetheless a part of your office culture.? Are you aware?

WHO?

Who mentors the new runner or shares the tech hacks with others??Who are your go-to teachers?

Who listens to the legal assistant who needs to discuss the fears of making life-changing decisions? Who hugs the restroom criers? Who are your go-to nurturers and life coaches?

Who cleans, changes the toner, and otherwise maintains the copiers and postage meters between scheduled maintenance visits? Who makes up your maintenance team?

Who plans the birthday, baby shower, retirement, and Christmas parties for your workforce? Who are your event planners?

Who translates your desires and needs to other staff members when the need arises?? Who is your personal second?

Who collects and handles the dirty dishes and cleans spills or leaks?? Who is the kitchen police?

WHY?

The why behind the support staff's performance of these unseen activities is thought provoking.

As humans, we all desire to be a meaningful part of the whole, and we all have a voice and a need to express ourselves so that the who we are is known within our communities.

The attorney holds THE voice in the practice of law. We in assistance roles do our parts to help that voice heard. We staff members solve problems, lead, teach, nurture, and manage in different ways outside the practice of law but within the workplace maybe to make our own voices heard and to express who we are.

Maybe.? And maybe we do these extras because no one else will.

But wait.

Why am I asking you to think about these things? They are not billable matters.

You have a management team or you hire HR people or promote someone to an office manager role to know these answers. Or do you?? Do you know that those in these roles know these answers??

Do you value these unseen contributions? Why or why not??

Do you value the people who make these unseen contributions? Why or why not?

Do you believe it is someone else's responsibility to recognize and reward these people for their unseen contributions to your workplace?

Do you know if that duty is being fulfilled by anyone?

Have you ever heard these questions asked during a partner meeting?

WHAT IF?

What if none of the above-mentioned unseen contributions were ever made???

I've not worked in a law office yet that had mechanical, technical, and software instructors on staff and available on the spot. We teach each other on the fly.?

I've not worked in a law office yet that I did not fill the paper bins, change the toner, clean the glass, raise the hood and clear paper jams in order to keep the copier and the people working.

I've not worked in a law office yet that I did not run into someone crying in the restroom.

I've not worked in a law office yet that didn't have in-office celebrations.

I've not worked in a law office with a kitchen yet that I did not step in to clean it at least a time or two when the responsible person was not present.

I've never been paid extra, nor have I ever asked to be paid extra for these tasks. However they are all critical to the workplace. Your workplace.

Your workforce is as much a part of your organization as you are.

Each member of your workforce is a human being same as you.

What if these contributions by staff members are being made to unconsciously fulfill the basic human need to express themselves, and yet no one hears them? For years.

What if these contributions are being made by the same people time and time again? There's likely a message there that's not being voiced or heard.

Unseen, unacknowledged, and unpaid work is unregulated work.

Your staff is investing time and energy on problem solving, leadership, management, and mentoring activities that are neither called for nor paid for. Is it acknowledged?

Understanding and recognizing the invisible work is crucial for building a positive culture both within the office and outside the offices. I don't think it's a secret what most forums related to legal work turn into.

These unseen tasks your support staff perform should be identified and acknowledged and redistributed in some cases.?

A lot can be done for very little once the unseen is seen.

• The activity can be appreciated and valued
• The people doing the unseen can be appreciated and valued
• Recognition can be given and can take form in many creative ways
• The activities can be turned into opportunities for personal growth or team building

Entire programs can be built off the unseen, but it must be seen first.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

The unseen work matters and the people doing it matter. If you agree, you can help make them matter.

If you are a non-managing attorney, and you

• haven't had to load the copier all week, send an email out and say that. Even if no name(s) are mentioned, I will almost guarantee all support staff will know who the credit goes to, and just that bit of acknowledgement will be a welcomed gift to the right people
• haven't had to dig a cup out of the dishwasher before getting coffee, leave an anonymous note on the counter and say thanks. Again, when you know, you know, so those doing the work will get the message, and it will mean a great deal

If you are a partner or have management responsibilities you can

• watch and see what unseen and unregulated work is being done and by whom
• recognize and creatively show gratitude for the extra work (don't give firm merch)
• take inventory and redistribute any unbalanced workload to rotations or teams
• offer the formation of committees to plan, lead, and mentor, etc.
• highlight the extra work contributions via communication channels such as newsletters, intranet announcements, award ceremonies, etc.

Mostly, just be human, also, and acknowledge the contribution and the person(s) -- who they are and how and where they've expressed themselves by contributing to your organization. It doesn't even need to be public.

Legal assistance is a workforce like no other. Your staff knows, in large part, they will never become attorneys. Most never want to. But they do enjoy the nature and challenges of the work. They way they become more than an assistant is in the extras. Please see them.

Till next time,

-dt

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