,

Action Step – OVERCOME THE MYTH OF THE LOSS OF 5 Cs BY BUILDING THE RIGHT FLEX INFRASTRUCTURE

The Alliance’s Action Steps are designed to assist organizations with implementing practical strategies and policies related to diversity and flexibility. Members can access full versions of all of the Alliance’s Action Steps in the Member Resource Center. 

 

There is little doubt that flex is here to stay post-pandemic, given employees’ strong desire for it to continue, along with the business benefits of flex, including employee productivity/engagement, business continuity and retention/recruiting which became even more apparent during COVID-19. Our Pulse Poll: Future of Work shows that more than two-thirds of respondents plan on creating/updating their remote work policies post-pandemic.

Despite the fact that more organizations will be expanding flexible work, we have heard resistance to flex from a number of leaders through our conversations, insight interviews and focus groups with many organizations. Interestingly, the opposition to flex can be summed up as the fear of the loss of 5 Cs – loss of control, culture, collaboration, contribution and connection. While the loss of the 5 Cs can most certainly occur without proper flex infrastructure and support, organizations can prevent the loss of the 5Cs and also counter arguments against flex by building proper structures and processes. For flex to be successful, we need to gain leadership support, and we can win leaders over by pointing to infrastructure that prevents the loss of the 5 Cs.

Members: continue reading this Action Step in the Member Resource Center

 

To read this entire Action Step become a member of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. To learn more contact Manar Morales.

,

Spotlight on Flex – Abigail B. Molitor, Sidley Austin

Our Spotlight on Flex showcases professionals from member organizations who exemplify personal and professional success while working a flexible schedule. Their stories illustrate the long-term benefits that flexible schedules offer to both individuals and organizations.

May 2021 Spotlight on Flex

For our May Spotlight on Flex, we’re pleased to highlight Abigail B. Molitor, Associate in the Chicago Office of Sidley Austin, LLP.

 

Diversity & Flexibility Alliance: How have you made flexibility a priority and a success with your schedule? How have the firm and/or clients contributed to this?

Abigail Molitor: I’ve worked a flexible schedule for nearly the entire time I’ve been at Sidley.  I had my first child a few months after starting at the firm, and I returned from parental leave to an 80% reduced hours schedule. I’ve maintained that same schedule in the years since and through the birth of my second child. Over that time, I’ve found that the key to success is to periodically review and adjust how I organize my schedule within that general 80% framework.  There have been times, particularly when my kids were very small, when it has been very important for me to manage the number of hours I worked in a day to accommodate other responsibilities.  There have been other times, as my kids have gotten a bit older, where I have greater capacity to dig into more intense periods of work, then balance out my hours with longer periods of time off. In either case, I try to be intentional and thoughtful about the demands of my cases and the needs of my family to figure out how best to fit those puzzle pieces together.  And, if I’ve learned anything in the past few years, the shape of the puzzle is constantly changing.

Sidley’s flexible work policies provided the foundation for me to create a schedule that works for me, and the partners in my group have truly committed to helping make that schedule successful in practice. Because I adopted a flexible schedule early in my career, I’ve worked closely with group leadership and key mentors to be thoughtful about the cases and work opportunities I take on to ensure that I develop necessary skills, management experience, and leadership opportunities to grow in my career over the long-term.

,

5 Steps for Law Firms Rethinking Flexible Work Post-COVID – By Manar Morales

Anyone responsible for their organization’s flexible working policy should make sure to read Manar Morales’ recent article published in Law 360. The article, entitled 5 Steps for Law Firms Rethinking Flexible Work Post-COVID outlines how firms should Reflect, Reimagine, Recalibrate, Recommit and Reinforce when redesigning their firm’s flexible working policy.

 

It’s critical that you view flexibility with a completely new lens. Moving forward, flexibility should be a fundamental element of every firm’s strategic plan to recruit, retain and advance top talent.

Manar Morales

President & CEO

Diversity & Flexibility Alliance

In Law 360 (May 14, 2021)

 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

For more details and strategies related to this 5 Step Framework, register for our Flex Launch Bootcamp to be held June 28 and 29, 2021.

 

Staying Productive in the Modern Workplace

2021 Signature Seminar

Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 2:00 pm ET

Featuring Paul H. Burton, founder of QuietSpacing.

Others work while we sleep. That has never been truer than it is today. Technology speeds communications up while response time expectations shrink. Organizations grow larger and more distributed, casting people and projects far and near. The only certainty is that this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.

Keeping up with globalism is a daunting prospect. How can we stay abreast without losing sight of the purpose for participating – enjoying rewarding personal and professional lives? What choices do we have and what actions can we take to best serve our clients, our loved ones and ourselves?

This program explores those questions, offering up eighteen suggestions on how to make the most of the time we have in this rapidly expanding playing field. We’ll address the following topics

  • Leveraging Distributed Work Environments. Working with people distributed across differing geographic locations is challenging. Consider these six suggestions on how to leverage this environment.
  • Running the Day Productively. Getting the work done is always Priority One. Here are six ways to accomplish that goal.
  • Demonstrating Leadership. Leadership is a state of mind, regardless of title or position. Choose from these six ways to demonstrate leadership on a global basis.

The workplace grows more global every day. We can react to that fact or we can lean in and participate. Choose to participate by attending this program.