Member Article

'Life Changing' Scheme: Law Firm Shortlisted for HR Excellence Award

Oxford-based Law Firm Reeds Solicitors are Shortlisted for a HR Excellence Award due to a new scheme to provide flexible working to employees.

The companywide scheme, which was introduced during the Pandemic, allows staff more control and flexibility with their working patterns. It has seen over a third of employees adapt their working hours, who have reported greater motivation, mental and physical wellbeing and discretionary effort across the business.

Reeds Solicitors hope that by providing flexibility to people’s working lives, it will lead to a more diverse workforce. In their diversity and inclusion statement, Reeds comments that a diverse and inclusive workforce has a “positive impact on [their] clients”.

It is estimated that nearly 70% of 1.8 million lone-parent families with dependent children are employed in the UK*. Many struggle to find a balance between the demands of the workplace and raising their children. These difficulties are even more so for the parents of children with complex care needs (including those with physical, mental and learning disabilities).

“If you don’t have a client appointment, then why not pick your child up from school and finish your paperwork later at a time that better suits?“ says Judy Matthews, Group Practice Manager.

One such parent working for Reeds Solicitors commented that the new scheme allowed them to adapt her working patterns to fit around her children’s needs. The employee says she is “grateful that [she] can work without having to feel guilty about taking time off or relying on colleagues during difficult times”. Another employee uses the flexible working scheme to provide one day a week childcare support for their grandson.

The scheme has been beneficial for those in current studies, working as a carer, and to those living with disabilities. One staff member called the new policy “life changing” as it allowed them to work around their physical disability. The scheme being open to all staff removes any distinction between able and disabled people, nor does it highlight any employee’s accessibility needs.

Whilst the transformation of working practices may raise questions to whether the scheme could be abused by some staff, the results have been the opposite.

Head of HR Lillie Debbage said: “Implementing these changes in the working habits of our staff has improved their experience of working for Reeds. This is clearly demonstrated by the huge drop in sick days and other absence we have recorded since the rollout of the scheme; A 66% reduction of absence due to illness, and a reduction of 75% staff turnover.”

Lillie tells us that this has resulted in new policies and plans around sick leave being put on hold, as the reduction has made this a low priority to the business.

Reeds Solicitors, which employs over 200 employees across 20 offices nationally, are one of four shortlisted for the award. They are ranked as a Top Tier law firm by the Legal 500.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Southwood .