What WFH Looks Like in 2024

The history of work from home is fraught with controversy. Initially being a temporary, mandatory measure, working from home has become the new normal. Since its worldwide implementation in 2020, working from home in Canada has evolved significantly, impacting all industries, particularly the legal sector.

But what does it look like in 2024?

Current State

In our 2024 Trends and Challenges Survey, we found that 75% of participants are still working from home, with most working remotely 1-2 days a week. Regarding preferences for remote work, 65.5% stated that hybrid work models have made the legal industry better off, citing reasons such as "no commute and other time savings”, better work-life balance, increased productivity and efficiency, and cost savings. Respondents emphasised balance above all, stating, "I think that the ability to WFH has helped people with their mental wellness. I do believe there is a fine line and people need to work in-office for mentoring and firm culture." However, even with all these benefits, when participants were asked, if they would consider seeking employment elsewhere if their firm mandated only in-office work? a majority (55%) answered “No”.

So, what does this mean?

It means that while people like working remotely and want to continue doing so it is no longer their top priority. In 2024, employees are more willing to return to the office, albeit for only a few days at a time. While a majority of firms do not plan to bring employees back into the office, 37% are. This statistic is interesting, considering there has been at least a two-year gap since the pandemic

Why are firms bringing back employees now? What challenges were so difficult to resolve that they led to a return to the permanent in-office work model?

Challenges Working Remotely in 2024

We asked respondents what might be the most challenging aspect of remote work. Above mentioned difficulties with routine and time management and workload changes, the most common response was “difficulties with reduced access to office technology/resources” at 32%. We also asked what the biggest concerns are at specific organisations, and at the top was communication and team coordination, which ranked higher than mentorship opportunities and scheduling and time management. Looking at these statistics, there is one solution.

Technology.

The Key to Successful Remote Work

Legal professionals are satisfied with the technology available to them, but they also want more. They recognise the benefits of technology in improving workflow and client service, and they are eager to see further advancements in this area. With the right kind of technology, people are able to work seamlessly from home even without access to legacy systems such as fax. Systems like Tracument, allow professionals to send and receive faxes from their desktop and mail any document to anywhere in the world. making file transfer easy and seamless. Understanding what kind of technology is needed is imperative to helping your office succeed in working remotely. Whether it is using Tracument for document transfer or Zoom, Dialpad, or other software for communication, technology is here to make working remotely efficient and seamless.

One of the most significant outcomes of working from home, respondents say, is the modernisation of the courts. The shift to remote proceedings has forced courts to adopt new technologies and practices, something that many believed had been long overdue. This modernisation has not only improved access to justice but has also paved the way for a more efficient and effective legal system.

Conclusion

In 2024, it is clear that remote work is here to stay. Legal professionals appreciate the ability to work away from the office, but it is no longer a priority as it was years ago. However, there is a rising minority of firms that are bringing employees back into the office full time. Time will only tell if this minority will become a majority if challenges remain, if firms begin to become stagnant, or if firms become slow to change as they once were. Two things are certain: (1) if remote work is to stay, then the right technology needs to be implemented; and (2) those who embrace digital transformation will be better positioned to thrive. For our next blog post we'll be talking about how technology can help turnover and how technology can prevent you from hiring to grow your firm!

If you're looking to automate and make your mail and fax more seamless and efficient, especially if you're looking to support your employees who work remotely, book a call today!