The connection between "Hiring" and "Employee Retention" might not be as straightforward as assumed.
In the competitive world of law firms, hiring is just the beginning. The real challenge lies in employee retention, a process that requires more than just financial incentives. According to industry experts, retaining top talent involves nurturing a culture that fosters clarity, connection, and confidence, and investing in employees before they "prove" themselves.
The Cost of Employee Turnover
Replacing an employee can cost a law firm anywhere between 50-200% of their annual salary. This high cost isn't just financial; it also leads to client continuity issues, team stability problems, and slowed operational flow.
Building Retention from Day One
Retention starts the moment someone says "yes" to your offer. A 90-day success plan, regular connection points, early leadership training, co-creating processes, and protecting the firm's culture are essential to keep employees engaged and committed.
Strategies for Employee Retention
Law firms can ensure employee retention beyond hiring by implementing strategies that focus on competitive compensation, meaningful benefits, flexible work arrangements, and a supportive workplace culture that prioritises well-being and inclusion.
- Competitive wages and benefits: Offering salaries and benefits that reflect market standards and employee needs, including health support and parental leave, are key to attracting and retaining top talent.
- Flexible work arrangements: Supporting work-life balance with hybrid or remote work options and flexible hours reduces burnout and increases retention, especially for working parents.
- Engagement and one-on-one meetings: Regular individual check-ins help understand employees' goals and concerns, fostering trust and early intervention for retention.
- Cultivating a respectful and inclusive culture: Zero tolerance for toxic behavior, diversity and inclusion efforts, personalised mentoring, and career development opportunities reduce turnover among underrepresented groups.
- Purpose and belonging: Building a firm culture where every lawyer understands and contributes to the firm’s mission increases loyalty even if compensation is less than competitors.
- Using modern tools and processes: Implementing objectives and key results (OKRs) and providing technology that supports remote work and productivity are essential in today's digital age.
- Leadership training: Developing leadership to better support and empower attorneys improves the work environment and reduces toxic behaviours.
- Monitoring key metrics: Tracking billable hours, compensation, and advancement metrics to ensure fairness and accountability helps retain talent.
The Importance of Onboarding
"Just-in-time onboarding" can lead to under-preparing new hires, causing them to feel uncertain and disengaged. A structured onboarding process, such as the Law Firm Admin Bootcamp, provides new hires and existing team members with a roadmap, live coaching, proven templates, scripts, SOPs, and a peer community, setting them up for success from Day 1.
Case Study: Aviva Gordon's Success Story
Aviva Gordon, a Las Vegas attorney, struggled with the "people" part of her business and cycled through nine assistants in a single year. She partnered with Hiring & Empowering Solutions®, and her new Client Services Director became the consistent point of contact guiding clients from first call to case close. Aviva's firm culture includes open wine bottles with her team on Friday afternoons, backing up her team when a client is disrespectful, and giving her people ownership over processes so they're invested in improving them.
Investing in Employee Retention
Instead of thinking they don't have time, firms should invest in developing their people now to avoid replacing them later. The first 90 days are crucial for new hires, as they are deciding if they belong, trust the people, and see a long-term future in the firm. When attorneys partner with Hiring & Empowering Solutions®, they receive help in defining the right personality and skill profile for a role, creating a 90-day integration plan with clear deliverables, and coaching for both the attorney and the new hire during the transition.
In conclusion, a holistic approach that values flexibility, well-being, and meaningful work is essential in reducing law firm attrition. By implementing strategies that focus on competitive compensation, meaningful benefits, flexible work arrangements, and a supportive workplace culture, law firms can maintain high retention and reduce costly turnover beyond just the hiring process.
- The admin bootcamp provides new hires and existing team members with a roadmap, live coaching, proven templates, scripts, SOPs, and a peer community, setting them up for success from Day 1.
- Regular individual check-ins with employees, fostering trust and early intervention, are essential to keep employees engaged and committed.
- To retain top talent, law firms should invest in strategies that prioritize well-being, inclusion, and a supportive workplace culture, offering competitive wages and benefits.
- By supporting work-life balance with hybrid or remote work options and flexible hours, law firms can reduce burnout and increase retention, especially for working parents.
- When attorneys partner with Hiring & Empowering Solutions®, they receive help in defining the right personality and skill profile for a role, creating a 90-day integration plan with clear deliverables, and coaching for both the attorney and the new hire during the transition.
