Check-Ins: When and How to Meet with Your Team Members
In the process of growing a law firm, creating a consistent check-in schedule with your associate lawyers can increase their overall well-being and enhance the firm’s retention efforts. Let’s start with understanding what areas can best benefit, the goals that you can achieve, and how frequently these check-ins should occur.
Clarity
Having clear goals and direction is vital for any productive meeting. This includes annual firm meetings, performance and feedback conversations, and individual check-ins. This helps ensure everyone is on the right track toward the same goal and has access to the necessary resources to get there.
Control
Allowing employees to work in a flexible environment and organize their own schedules can mean a lot to an employee. In this digital age, many positions can be fulfilled completely remotely so it’s important to adjust where you can. This can work to demonstrate the trust you have your employees, which ultimately contributes to the firm’s growth.
Support
Overall, it’s important to remember that your employees are human and that mistakes or unforeseen situations will occur. Aside from personally supporting your employees with guidance and resources, there is also value in providing other avenues of support for your team. Introducing team-building activities and trainings can not only create a supportive team environment but it also allows employees to check in with their peers on topics both related and not related to work.
As more law firms offer remote and hybrid work environments, communication between teams will likely have to increase to avoid or minimize support gaps. Consistent one on one check-ins are more important than ever. Setting up recurring meetings with desired dates can take this small task off your plate and shows associates that you’re committed to putting time aside either weekly or biweekly to check in with them.
When to Meet Your Team Members?
It is recommended to meet with each team member either once every week or biweekly for about 15-30 minutes. Use this time to touch on the three above topics and provide valuable performance feedback. It can be an ongoing process to train managers to give honest feedback and for associates to receive it but refining this process can be hugely beneficial to your firm’s growth and success.