Action Steps

 

Action Step -Reducing Bias In Evaluations: How and Why Bias Affects Performance Reviews (Part 1)

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.

REDUCING BIAS IN EVALUATIONS:
HOW AND WHY BIAS AFFECTS PERFORMANCE REVIEWS (PART 1)

Most firms believe their evaluation system is fair. Most of those firms are wrong.

Research has shown that unconscious bias skews evaluations, despite the evaluators’ best efforts to be fair and impartial. A recent study even suggests the more we believe we are fair and impartial, the less likely we are actually to be so…

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Action Step – What’s In It For You? The Alliance’s Value Proposition

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.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
THE ALLIANCE’S VALUE PROPOSITION

It’s a new year, and with it comes new opportunities and challenges for your organization’s efforts to advance its diversity, inclusion, and flexibility agendas. As you map out a strategy to address what’s ahead, don’t go it alone – the Alliance is here to partner with you! Alliance member organizations have access to a trifecta of valuable resources: a community of peers, strategic advice from industry experts, and a wide variety of research tools. These resources can be summarized as the Alliance’s Value Proposition:

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Action Step – Reflecting Back and Looking Ahead: Setting A Vision for Your Diversity & Flexibility Initiatives

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.

REFLECTING BACK AND LOOKING AHEAD:
SETTING A VISION FOR YOUR DIVERSITY & FLEXIBILITY INITIATIVES 

The Alliance’s Action Step, Seven Strategies for Flex Success™, details the steps flex lawyers need to take to achieve success in their careers. The first step, setting a vision, is critical because it provides a target to guide one’s actions. A clear vision also supports effective, strategic organizational initiatives including diversity and flexibility programs. The dawn of a new, fiscal, or program year is an excellent time to take stock of the vision for your organizational efforts.  Here are a few points to guide the vision-setting process for your organization’s diversity and flexibility initiatives in the year ahead…

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Action Step – Speaking Success

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.

SPEAKING SUCCESS

A recurring theme among the Alliance’s Flex Success™ Award winners, Spotlight on Flex features, and other diverse leaders highlighted at Alliance programs is that someone  – usually a leader in the organization – spoke success to them early in their careers. That is, someone in a position of power clearly communicated the expectation that these individuals would achieve leadership roles and other success markers within the organization and in their careers. While many who speak success go on to become sponsors by investing their time, talent, and knowledge so others can succeed, speaking success is a critical first step on that journey…

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Action Step – Formalizing Your Full-Time Flex Program

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.

FORMALIZING YOUR FULL-TIME FLEX PROGRAM

As supported by findings in the Alliance’s 2014 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Survey Report and other industry sources, most major law firms make reduced hours schedules available to their attorneys, and many have a formal written policy reflecting this commitment. While many of these organizations recognize the need to have different types of flexible work options to meet the myriad needs of a diverse workforce, fewer have written policies for telecommuting and other full-time flexibility, such as flexible start/end times and annualized hours. Some do not see a need and others have concerns about policies being too rigid, but the Alliance recommends putting your organization’s full-time flexible work options in writing for three key reasons…

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Action Step – Appreciating Your Flex Program

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.

APPRECIATING YOUR FLEX PROGRAM

Lawyers are taught to apply critical inquiry to solve clients’ problems. While this approach is useful to spot issues, applying a model that allows for analysis of strengths is equally important when working on a change initiative like promoting holistic flexibility in the workplace. The field of organizational development offers such a model in appreciative inquiry…

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Action Step – It Takes A Community: Foundational Considerations For Women’s, Flex, And Other Affinity Groups

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.

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY:
FOUNDATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR WOMEN’S, FLEX, AND OTHER AFFINITY GROUPS

Establishing affinity groups can be an excellent way to build a community and effectively address the social isolation that interrupts the career advancement of lawyers from underrepresented identities including lawyers who work flexibly. Positioning these groups for success requires consideration of a number of different factors and ensuring they serve the following three main purposes…

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Action Step – Who’s Monitoring Your Flex Program: Key Roles for Effective Flex Program Management

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.

WHO’S MONITORING YOUR FLEX PROGRAM:
KEY ROLES FOR EFFECTIVE FLEX PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

Your organization has a flexible work policy. Leadership vocally supports it and promotes the business case for flexibility. The desire and need for flexible work is clear, and your lawyers are utilizing the policy. What’s next? How will your organization manage it all? Read more

Action Step – Individual Strategies for Interrupting Flex Stigma

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.

INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIES FOR INTERRUPTING FLEX STIGMA

Lawyers are often concerned that working flexibly will change how they are viewed at work and lead to career derailment. They are right to be concerned. Studies show that flexibility bias can affect all aspects of a lawyer’s career – from assignments, to evaluations, to promotions. Legal employers can take steps to reduce flexibility bias, and individual lawyers can protect themselves with these strategies: Read more

Action Step – Make Your Family Leave and Flexibility Policies Inclusive

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.

MAKE YOUR FAMILY LEAVE AND FLEXIBILITY POLICIES INCLUSIVE

Most lawyers will be caregivers to someone – a child, significant other, a family member – at some point during their careers. This is true regardless of gender and parental status. Providing paid leave is an attractive benefit and can help alleviate the chronic stress, depression, and burnout that caregivers experience. Findings from the Yale Law Women Top Ten Family-Friendly Firms 2015 Report support the Alliance’s recommendation that law firms can improve recruiting and retention by including all caregiving lawyers in their family-friendly programs and policies.  What else can firms and law departments do to attract and retain lawyers who provide elder or family care?… Read more