Insights & Resources

'Be More Intentional': How GCs Are Building Camaraderie Amid Hybrid Work

What You Need to Know GCs can't count on camaraderie to occur by happenstance. They especially need to help new employees feel part of the team. Making the most of in-person interactions is crucial.
What You Need to Know
 
  • Firms are eyeing entering new practices and diversifying their existing practices.
  • Recruiters say growth in 2022 will be more complicated than poaching laterals with books of business.
  • Firms are shifting toward screening candidates for firmwide compatibility.
With hybrid work becoming the norm, legal experts say GCs will have to find more creative ways to build camaraderie among employees, as well as help new employees develop and feel included.

“Camaraderie,  growth, development, satisfaction … do not just grow on their own and cannot be bought by bringing in an outside team-building or work culture consultant for a session,” said Stephen Kim, chief legal officer of Toronto-based Avicanna, which develops cannabis-based medical products.

Shari Piré, chief legal and sustainability officer at Palo Alto, California-based Plume Design, said that because legal departments are the conduits through which all agreements and processes flow, they can exert a positive influence companywide.

“The legal team is well-positioned to create camaraderie both in the legal team and across the company more broadly,” said Piré, whose company provides Wi-Fi and internet-connected smart home services.

But GCs agree that camaraderie and mentorship that might have occurred by happenstance before the pandemic emptied out workplaces now requires intentionality.

‘Evaluate What Works for Your Team’
 

With hybrid work, companies need to conduct all important meetings and training both in person and online, said Lori Carpenter, president of Carpenter Legal Search in Pittsburgh.

But she said they also need to look for creative ways to foster team-building online.

For example, Carpenter said some companies have group tastings where the food is sent directly to the team members in their locations.

She said companies also can help remote employees create relationships by having them visit the headquarters and meet their teams on an annual or twice-a-year basis.
 


Corporate retreats are another tool that can be effective, Carpenter said.

Read More: 'Be More Intentional': How GCs Are Building Camaraderie Amid Hybrid Work - by Trudy Knockless, Corporate Counsel, ALM / Law.com

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