Tips to Make Remote Workers Successful

Remote work has become a standard practice among many law firms in the U.S. A 2021 survey by the American Bar Association revealed that 54% of attorneys now work from home almost entirely, while an additional 25% follow a hybrid remote schedule, working away from the office between 25% to 75% of the time.

Whether your firm embraces fully remote or hybrid schedules, you need the right strategies and tools to support your team when they work outside the office. For example, daily huddles motivate and keep workers on track, while cloud-based practice management software allows easy access to files from any location.

Explore the following tips to help you create a thriving environment for remote workers that meets client needs and grows your firm.

Schedule Daily Huddles

To make your remote team successful, start by scheduling daily huddles. These are short, focused meetings where you’ll discuss critical tasks like upcoming court filings and address immediate concerns such as urgent client requests or last-minute case developments.

For remote huddles, use platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. These allow you to communicate in real-time, share files, and collaborate on projects seamlessly. After the huddle, integrate action items into your team’s daily workflow using the practice management system backdocket.

This platform lets you organize tasks, track progress, and access important documents, keeping everyone connected and informed, no matter where they are.

Implement Quick Individual Check-Ins

Quick individual check-ins are vital, especially in law firms where 60% of lawyers work on flexible schedules. These short, one-on-one meetings allow for personalized updates and support.

For example, a lawyer juggling client meetings and court appearances can use this time to prioritize tasks or discuss challenges with a mentor attorney. Similarly, team leadership can schedule check-ins with new associates, helping them feel welcomed and valued as part of the team.

These check-ins offer a flexible touchpoint to stay connected and aligned with the team, ensuring everyone remains informed and on track despite varied schedules.

Set and Enforce Clear Deadlines

Set and enforce clear deadlines to maintain accountability and productivity for your remote team. Deadlines offer a structured approach, creating a sense of urgency crucial for timely task completion.

Enhance this process by assigning tasks to specific team members through to-do lists and using automated reminders for upcoming meetings and deadlines. You can also implement task-tracking software for efficient progress monitoring.

Incorporate legal practice management software to streamline these efforts. This tool lets you assign and monitor tasks, establish deadlines, and create comprehensive to-do lists accessible to the entire team.

Its integration with popular calendars like Google and Office 365 allows team members to view the office schedule seamlessly, fostering greater accountability. This is beneficial whether team members are working remotely or in the office.

Establish a Centralized Information Hub

Establish a centralized information hub for remote workers to enhance efficiency in your legal practice. A centralized operating system securely stores all critical documents and data, ensuring swift and easy access for your team.

A centralized online storage location is essential, considering 87% of lawyers require efficient access to online office files. Backdocket allows remote workers to access important documents from any location, seamlessly bridging the gap between office and remote work.

This strategy aligns with the needs of the modern legal environment, where over half of the professionals seek guidance on remote working technologies. By centralizing your resources, you cater to these needs and support the 73% of lawyers who value efficient and accessible support from their staff, ensuring a smoother, more productive workflow.

Prioritize Clear and Consistent Communication Channels

Establishing clear and consistent communication channels can prevent bottlenecks and case delays when managing a remote legal team. Remote work often leads to uncertainties about who to contact and when causing inefficiencies in case management.

Address these issues with law firm management tools that keep essential contact information readily available, streamlining communication processes. By improving the intake process, backdocket reduces the need for repetitive follow-ups, ensuring that client information is accurately captured and accessible to all team members, regardless of their location.

It also helps efficiently track prospects and manage referral networks, which is vital in a remote setting where direct, in-person coordination is limited. This tool enables remote teams to maintain high productivity and organization, ensuring seamless progress of cases and client management.

Try Backdocket Today for a Productive Remote Work Environment

Embrace a more productive and efficient remote work environment with backdocket. This platform can streamline communication, optimize case management, and enhance client interactions for your firm.

Try backdocket today to boost your remote environment and see a more successful, productive, and content workforce.

Back to Blog