How To Show Appreciation For Administrative Staff
As a law firm owner, you’re likely well aware of the fact that each and every member of your team plays an integral role in your success – from senior partners to administrative staff.
Despite this, many of those who work within the world of administration feel as though their contributions are undervalued. Given that “nearly half of American workers (46%) have left a job because they feel unappreciated”, this could wreak havoc on your retention rate and cost you hundreds of dollars in turnover fees.
After all, your administrative staff is an asset for your firm. For example, by taking on a range of admin duties, from responding to client queries to organizing schedules, they lessen the workload of other team members. This means that legal professionals are free to focus on their actual job rather than chasing emails.
With that in mind, here are some strategies you can apply to your business to show your admin staff some appreciation.
Recognize their value.
The first step toward better-appreciating clerical staff is recognizing their value within the workplace. They’re your best defense against burnout and also ensure that your day-to-day operations run smoothly. Taking this into account means that you will be naturally more appreciative of your administrative professionals and their workout.
Fortunately, there are many small ways to show your admin team that you appreciate them. For example, you could give them a voucher for your local coffee shop, or buy them a small, yet meaningful gift. When Adminstrative Professionals Day rolls around (20th April), why not take the team out for lunch?
Provide them with opportunities to grow.
One of the easiest ways to combat high-turnover rates is by providing employees with the opportunity to develop key skills. And, while you may already offer training opportunities to your legal team, it’s important that you offer similar advancement opportunities to your admin staff. For example, you could further cultivate their talent by enrolling them in client service-based courses or boosting their resume through technological training.
Give them positive feedback.
Providing employees with positive feedback is a known engagement booster, as it provides them with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Furthermore, “a healthy workplace culture with a foundation of recognition shows employees they are valued and has the power to lift employees to new heights.”
While you may be used to providing legal professionals with this kind of feedback, be sure to extend your gratitude to your admin team too. This can be offered over a simple email, through a one-on-one meeting, or part of their annual or quarterly review process. Let them know that you see how hard they work, how much you appreciate this, and offer compensation or bonus incentives to back up your commitment.
Focus on a good work-life balance.
In recent years, many law firms noticed a decline in service demand. This, in turn, placed ‘firms under immense pressure to bring expenses under control by cutting headcount’, and admin staff were often the first to go. This cost-cutting measure could present many problems further down the line. After all, smaller admin teams do not necessarily do less work – which could mean that your staff is overburdened as they work to pick up the slack. This could lead to a poor work-life balance, where they feel unable to shut off at the end of the day.
As such, employers should work to ensure that each and every member of their team has a good work-life balance. This can be remedied by managing their workload, hiring extra staff when necessary, and finding ways to automate time-consuming tasks through legal technology and systematized processes.
At FinOp Group, we can take some of the pressure off your clerical staff by helping you with all things finances. From tax planning to bookkeeping, we’ll ensure your financial practices are up to par- so your admin team can focus on keeping clients happy. Get in touch today to find out more!
