You need to start asking them reasons FOR work from office and then engage with them about creating those synergies regardless in work from home through appropriate technology.
Till now, the only reason these MPs and partners have been giving is: "Ei, why you no do this the old way? Me like the old way."
1. COVID numbers are still above 30k a month - way more than the dip right before the second wave.
2. New mutant variants are emerging almost every other month - each more resistant to the vaccine than the last.
3. The post-COVID impact on the body is still unknown. Most common complications as of now include: long term immune damage, memory loss, heart diseases, chronic fatigue, insomnia and arthritis - even in people below 30 years age.
4. Given the weak immunity and existing complications - a recurrence of COVID or a new variant could potentially kill people.
5. COVID is only the beginning of viral pandemics that are going to plague humanity almost every 5 years from now.
6. The past 1.5 years of Work from Home have been the most productive for law firms and companies - highest grossing billables translating to minor pay hikes right after threats of salary cuts.
7. Therefore, a prudent and rational business discussion should be about boosting associate productivity through proper breaks, switch off times and end-stops to the days/weeks in course of WFH.
8. Work from home saves on the time and exhaustion of daily 1-2 hours of commute + 1 hour of dressing up and dressing down. That's almost a 30% increase in minimum hours required at firms.
9. People feel lighter, more creative and more productive without sitting in tight formals for 18 hours a day. They can dress up for client meetings if and when required.
10. Thousands of hours are no longer wasted in flying to different cities, getting stuck in traffic, checking into hotel rooms just for one 1 hour business meeting. Zoom/team meetings save everyone's time and costs.
11. Crores of rupees can be saved by firms on real estate, maintenance of office spaces, electricity bills etc. and that money can be spent on providing other retainer benefits - something as basic as health insurance?
12. MS teams' share screen feature is a far more effective tool for collaboration and working together than anything else at office.
13. People don't have to sacrifice the personal for the professional. Young adults can look after their ageing parents, young parents can spend time with their children - your living need not wait because you are earning a living.
And I'm sure there are many other reasons that people can come up with. In contrast, try highlighting 3 good reasons to go back to office?
There are many who would love to have the same job you are having. You are not having a 'sarkari' job ; it's not permanent. Please resign and make space for others.
WFH theoretically should be more efficient. You save on travel time (to and from office), time getting ready to get to work, time changing out of work clothes, etc, etc, all of which will give you a little more time to use. The free time can either be used to relax so as to be more efficient during the time that you work, or just use the extra time to work (whichever works).
But this is just in theory, WFH is premised on lawyers being inherently accountable and honourable (which some lawyers are, and to their determent....will explain)
IMHO what has happened there are others who have abused the system to literally chill. Well, the work must still go on right!?.... who's going to do it? No prizes for guessing. .....it's the honourable lawyers refered to above.
The 'number of cases' argument is also thin. It isn't as if lawyers are not traveling to places other than office (and office is the only place where they're going to contract Covid). And if one REALLY hasn't stepped out of the house, then as a social being it's really hard to fathom that you don't want any social interaction (you should really be WANTING to go to office after living like a hermit for so long).
As one of the honourable lawyers who's overworked, guess I'm not on the fence after all.
I don't know who's giving you this impression but nobody's chilling - we're all busting our asses for 14-16 hours a day under severe depression.
The reason you're overworked is the greed of your partner and managing partner at cost of their own associates physical and mental health - not the laziness of your fellow associates. So, yes - if you're really an "honourable overworked lawyer" you should put your foot down and demand switch off time for the day and week and voluntary office going.
You honestly believe EVERYONE is busting theirs ass!? You really live in a utopian world.
And yes, there is an element of my managing partner not wanting to deal with a problem. But that's not a new thing, that was the case before Covid as well.
P.S., I'm a parter (albeit salaried), who has quit on account of being overworked. I can tell you with utmost honesty, your peers (other partners in my case, and other associates in case of some of my colleagues) are the reason you are overworked (assuming you actually are, my peers also believe that they're very hard working)
No offence to anyone here, but I want to go out of my house at least once a day, and meet actual humans. If you guys are fine with living in your room for the rest of your lives, then do it but please don't force others to stay at home. If I stay at home for 6 more months, I will anyways have to leave my house and go to an asylum. You collect crores in your bank account, congratulations on that but I'll pass. Thank you.
Need of the hour is to have a better WFH or a hybrid style to be honest. Forcing don’t work when attrition is at an all time high and newer A0s are still inexperienced due to lack of jobs /. Many A1s still v untrained due to lesser face ro face office interactions learnings or knowing people in other teams etc.
Is it just me or you all also are casually pulled into new matters or emails on saturdays or sundays - even when there is no deadline. Where are my gym after hours that we could all take when we were in office? Constant expectation to be glued to phone! Do yourself a favour and try to pull back a little on replying during weekends. Will make law firm life generally a lot better
I think someone need's to force / kick you of the profession. Bache talking shit and creating multiple threads. Dude @Cam... Who the hell did you recruit? I'd suggest call all to office immediately. The one with issues/doesn't turn up is our LI whiner. Please. Apne liye aur desh desh ke liye... Li ke liye... Once this whiner is without a job... There Will be no more whining. None of our seniors have an issue. Let's get these whiners and see. I'm sure it's just 2 freshers at max. Better kick them out today than 1-2 random trolls defaming the firm. I'd even suggest going after the ip and filing a defamation suit?
How do we convince law firms to give an option of permanent WFH?
Till now, the only reason these MPs and partners have been giving is: "Ei, why you no do this the old way? Me like the old way."
1. COVID numbers are still above 30k a month - way more than the dip right before the second wave.
2. New mutant variants are emerging almost every other month - each more resistant to the vaccine than the last.
3. The post-COVID impact on the body is still unknown. Most common complications as of now include: long term immune damage, memory loss, heart diseases, chronic fatigue, insomnia and arthritis - even in people below 30 years age.
4. Given the weak immunity and existing complications - a recurrence of COVID or a new variant could potentially kill people.
5. COVID is only the beginning of viral pandemics that are going to plague humanity almost every 5 years from now.
6. The past 1.5 years of Work from Home have been the most productive for law firms and companies - highest grossing billables translating to minor pay hikes right after threats of salary cuts.
7. Therefore, a prudent and rational business discussion should be about boosting associate productivity through proper breaks, switch off times and end-stops to the days/weeks in course of WFH.
8. Work from home saves on the time and exhaustion of daily 1-2 hours of commute + 1 hour of dressing up and dressing down. That's almost a 30% increase in minimum hours required at firms.
9. People feel lighter, more creative and more productive without sitting in tight formals for 18 hours a day. They can dress up for client meetings if and when required.
10. Thousands of hours are no longer wasted in flying to different cities, getting stuck in traffic, checking into hotel rooms just for one 1 hour business meeting. Zoom/team meetings save everyone's time and costs.
11. Crores of rupees can be saved by firms on real estate, maintenance of office spaces, electricity bills etc. and that money can be spent on providing other retainer benefits - something as basic as health insurance?
12. MS teams' share screen feature is a far more effective tool for collaboration and working together than anything else at office.
13. People don't have to sacrifice the personal for the professional. Young adults can look after their ageing parents, young parents can spend time with their children - your living need not wait because you are earning a living.
And I'm sure there are many other reasons that people can come up with. In contrast, try highlighting 3 good reasons to go back to office?
There are many who would love to have the same job you are having. You are not having a 'sarkari' job ; it's not permanent. Please resign and make space for others.
WFH theoretically should be more efficient. You save on travel time (to and from office), time getting ready to get to work, time changing out of work clothes, etc, etc, all of which will give you a little more time to use. The free time can either be used to relax so as to be more efficient during the time that you work, or just use the extra time to work (whichever works).
But this is just in theory, WFH is premised on lawyers being inherently accountable and honourable (which some lawyers are, and to their determent....will explain)
IMHO what has happened there are others who have abused the system to literally chill. Well, the work must still go on right!?.... who's going to do it? No prizes for guessing.
.....it's the honourable lawyers refered to above.
The 'number of cases' argument is also thin. It isn't as if lawyers are not traveling to places other than office (and office is the only place where they're going to contract Covid). And if one REALLY hasn't stepped out of the house, then as a social being it's really hard to fathom that you don't want any social interaction (you should really be WANTING to go to office after living like a hermit for so long).
As one of the honourable lawyers who's overworked, guess I'm not on the fence after all.
The reason you're overworked is the greed of your partner and managing partner at cost of their own associates physical and mental health - not the laziness of your fellow associates. So, yes - if you're really an "honourable overworked lawyer" you should put your foot down and demand switch off time for the day and week and voluntary office going.
And yes, there is an element of my managing partner not wanting to deal with a problem. But that's not a new thing, that was the case before Covid as well.
P.S., I'm a parter (albeit salaried), who has quit on account of being overworked. I can tell you with utmost honesty, your peers (other partners in my case, and other associates in case of some of my colleagues) are the reason you are overworked (assuming you actually are, my peers also believe that they're very hard working)
I'm just saying don't force me to sit with you also?
Is it just me or you all also are casually pulled into new matters or emails on saturdays or sundays - even when there is no deadline. Where are my gym after hours that we could all take when we were in office? Constant expectation to be glued to phone! Do yourself a favour and try to pull back a little on replying during weekends. Will make law firm life generally a lot better