Why law firms struggle with hybrid work and how evolving management practices can bridge the gap between firm leaders and remote employees.
In 2020, law firms scrambled to enable remote working during Covid-19. Five years on and firm leaders’ would rather have staff back in the office full-time, but by and large junior partners and associates don’t want to be there. This is a problem for firms, but not one caused by remote working per se, but that the issues really stem from firms not knowing how to manage remote working well.
It seems that the legal sector is currently struggling with the fact that leadership teams want people back in the office full time; but equally they know that trying to wean people off hybrid can cause lots of friction. They’re not alone.
The other morning, I read yet another piece of research underscoring the irrevocable nature of the shift to hybrid. According to Randstad’s 2025 global review of 26,000 workers, flexibility and work-life balance are – for the first time – more important to employees than salary.[1] Also in January 2025, a Pew Research Center survey showed that nearly half of workers would consider changing jobs if required to return to the office full time.[2]
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