Action Steps

 

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Action Step – Parental Leave: Critical Policy Features

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.

In our 2022 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study and Flexibility Benchmarking Summit we discussed trends regarding workplace flexibility, hybrid work, parental leave, and other related policies and infrastructure. From our experience and research, it is clear that employees value holistic workplace flexibility and leave, and assess their organizations on these offerings. While many organizations have expanded their workplace flexibility and hybrid work programs since the pandemic, organizations should also be providing strong parental leave benefits. There is a noticeable discrepancy between organizations that enhanced their parental leave policies since the pandemic compared to those that have not. Make sure that your parental leave policies are up-to-date, so as not to lose out on recruitment and retention…

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.

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Action Step – Trends in Workplace Flexibility, Hybrid Work & Parental Leave

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.

Our recently released 2022 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study and Flexibility Benchmarking Summit discussed trends regarding workplace flexibility, hybrid work, parental leave, and other related policies and infrastructure. These trends highlight areas of progress as well as critical next steps we must now focus on. The Alliance details below the significant trends and recommendations to truly help move the needle.

  1. There is a significantly greater prevalence of hybrid and virtual work. The vast majority of firms now offer hybrid and/or virtual work options, demonstrating a tremendous increase in this type of workplace flexibility [80.9% this year vs. 61.1% in our 2019 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study (“2019 Study”)]. This greater traction demonstrates increased employee demand and organizational acceptance of this type of work since the pandemic. While a higher prevalence of firms offering hybrid and virtual work demonstrates great progress, we must now focus on enhancing utilization of this work option by reducing stigma around it….

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.

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Action Step – The Flip Side of Flexibility is Responsibility

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.

Since the pandemic, workplace flexibility has gained great traction. Organizations, leaders, and individuals experienced first-hand many benefits of hybrid/virtual work. Our 2022 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study (“2022 Study”), which will be released soon, found that hybrid and virtual work has significantly increased, from 48% in our 2019 Law Firm Flexibility Benchmarking Study to 80.9% in our 2022 Study. These results demonstrate the critical impact of the pandemic on increased acceptance of hybrid/virtual work. As many organizations have adopted new workplace flexibility policies, some are now struggling with how to implement them to make them as effective as possible. In order for flexibility to work, organizations must be intentional, inclusive and iterative. The Alliance has always stressed that the flip side of flexibility is responsibility. In order to make flexibility truly work, everyone – organizations, leaders and individuals – must take responsibility and be intentional.

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.

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Action Step – Attaining Gender Diversity at the Top

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.

We recently released our 2022 New Partner Report, consisting of an annual examination of data regarding the gender breakdown of attorneys promoted to partnership from over 200 of the nation’s largest and top-grossing law firms. The Alliance then hosted our New Partner Summit, encompassing an in-depth discussion regarding the results of the new partner report, highlighting best practices, and featuring talent leaders from 4-time “Tipping the Scales” firms1 to discuss strategies for achieving gender parity.

Our 2022 New Partner Report and New Partner Summit mentioned the concerning results in the 2022 new partner class of U.S. law firms, as the share of women among new partners was 40.2%, demonstrating a 0.7% decrease from the previous year’s figure, and significant year-over-year dip of 4.2% at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms2. This decline is even more troubling considering that the average new partner class actually increased substantially and the gap of the share of new women partners compared to the shares of women associates and women summer associates widened3.

Additionally, NALP’s recent report shows that this pipeline gap is more drastic when looking at women of color, as women of color comprise less than 5% of the partnership, despite over a quarter of the summer associate class being women of color4. The Alliance has the following important recommendations to create long-lasting change and improve gender parity at the leadership level…

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.

1 “Tipping the Scales” recipients are firms that promoted 50% or more women in their U.S. new partner classes.

2 The share of women among new partners was 40.2%, demonstrating a 0.7% decrease from the previous year’s figure. There was a significant year-over-year dip of 4.2% at the nation’s top grossing AmLaw 50 firms. The average new partner class increased substantially – 14.1 attorneys in 2022 vs. 11.7 attorneys in 2021.

3 See “2021 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms,” NALP, January 2022. https://www.nalp.org/uploads/2021NALPReportonDiversity.pdf

4 See “2022 Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms,” NALP, January 2023, https://www.nalp.org/uploads/Research/2022NALPReportonDiversity_Final.pdf

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Action Step – Executive Presence In A Hybrid Environment

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.

During the pandemic, employees working from home were simultaneously having to manage personal and professional obligations as typical support structures ceased to exist. At that time, the expectation at many organizations was for employees to do their best in terms of how they presented themselves – for example, employees sometimes needed to have cameras off and mute themselves. While many organizations have adopted hybrid and virtual work environments permanently since the pandemic, the rules of engagement have changed or may not be clear. We encourage organizations to clarify norms and expectations, and we recommend that individuals also act with intentionality regarding executive presence…

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.

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Action Step – Partner with the Alliance to Make Your Flexible Work and D&I Initiatives A 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.

As 2022 comes to an end, many of us are already knee deep in planning and implementing new programs, policies and practices for 2023. This upcoming year will be pivotal for many organizations, as a number of them are planning on implementing new work environments, reengineering office space, creating novel policies, and offering innovative talent benefits/resources. Make sure to partner with the Alliance to gain Collaboration, Capabilities and Community which will help ensure top notch policies and practices in the areas of D&I, talent, and flexibility.

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.

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Action Step – Insights & Lessons From Our 2022 Annual Conference

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.

As organizations wrap up 2022, a pivotal year for enhanced flexible work, the war for talent, and political, economic and global change, they are now strategizing and planning new initiatives and goals for the upcoming year. Organizations should reflect on the lessons learned at our 2022 Annual Conference, Cultivating a Holistic Work Culture – The Power of People, Purpose & Productivity, when planning for the future. The eventful day was filled with inspirational leaders, innovative programs, expert insights, and cutting-edge research on flexible/hybrid work, talent and D&I trends and best practices. We would like to share our top takeaways from the Conference that organizations should reflect on when planning and implementing initiatives in 2023:

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.

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Action Step – Leverage Hybrid & Virtual Events to Enhance Connection & Collaboration

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.

Many organizations are adopting hybrid/flexible work environments. For these new work environments to succeed, organizations must change much more than just their flexible work policies – organizations need to undergo a significant culture change which includes leadership support, communication guidelines and team agreements, trainings, technology, mentoring and other support structures. Organizations should also leverage hybrid/virtual events both to support the new work environments, but also as a general practice regardless of where they fall in terms of work locations (i.e. fully in- person; hybrid; or fully virtual). However, these hybrid/virtual events must be orchestrated thoughtfully and require resources, just like in-person events – most importantly, all attendees (virtual and in-person) need to be active participants and not just spectators so that these events are impactful for all. Hybrid/virtual events can have various benefits when implemented properly, including fostering cross-office connections; promoting connections despite budgetary constraints; securing powerful speakers and participants with time constraints; and gaining access to broad audiences. The following are the Alliance’s recommendations for hosting successful hybrid/virtual events:

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.

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Action Step – Affinity Groups: Building Community, Development & Advocacy

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.

Organizations are rethinking how they approach work, talent and social justice – many are implementing hybrid and flexible work environments, adding resources to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, and focusing on ways to foster employee engagement, inclusion and productivity. Organizations need to undergo a culture shift in order to truly embrace hybrid/flexible work, diversity and inclusion, and talent development and retention. Affinity groups are a great way to foster this culture shift, as these groups promote community, development, and advocacy. Organizations should pay close attention to creating, structuring, and revamping their affinity groups properly in order for these groups to have the greatest positive effects.

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.

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Action Step: The Power of Stay Interviews

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.

As businesses are increasingly focused on recruiting and retaining employees, we recommend that they align their principles, purpose, practices, policies, and people to create a culture of inclusion. To confirm that colleagues appreciate and flourish in your workplace, it is critical to regularly seek their views and feedback. Organizations often gather information regarding culture from new hires as they join the firm, 360-degree evaluations of supervisors, engagement surveys, focus groups to understand specific challenges/successes, and exit interviews. However, more organizations should conduct stay interviews, one-on-one conversations with employees intended to understand what factors are leading them to stay at the organization. Stay interviews demonstrate to colleagues that you care about their opinions, are interested in addressing learning, work assignment/client responsibilities, and want to replicate positive experiences to stave off preventable departures.

We recommend these four strategies for successfully incorporating stay interviews into your workplace:

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.