Author’s note: This article is a continuation of “Myth or Reality: Conquering the Enemies of Return-to-Office” published on Nov. 21, 2022.
Since the availability of a COVID vaccine, law firms have been grappling with the right hybrid work model. While some people barely missed a beat, the majority discovered the flexibility and increased productivity of working from home to be a welcome change. Leaders, rightly concerned with the cultural impact and absence of collaboration and development opportunities, began to explore ways to make hybrid work. Most publicly, firms instituted guidelines for when and how to be in the office. According to a snap poll conducted by The Tilt Institute on this topic in December 2022:
- Fewer than 10% have no return-to-office guidelines in place
- Nearly 60% of firms mandate three or more days in the office (with a notable similar number having different policies for lawyers and staff)
- Over 85% described their enforcement of policies as middling at best
