Could Office Return Policies Exclude Diverse Talent?

🏢 Could a return to the office undermine recruitment efforts to increase diversity in your legal team?

As law firms embrace flexible work arrangements, many have made significant strides in improving diversity. A Deloitte study found that flexible work has been key in attracting women, people of colour, and those with caregiving responsibilities. Firms have recognised flexibility as a powerful tool to support diversity and inclusion.

While in-person collaboration has benefits, law firms should consider how to maintain their diversity momentum as they introduce more return-to-office policies. The push for office returns is often driven by a desire for increased collaboration, team cohesion, and a more traditional office culture that some believe fosters innovation and productivity – although the evidence to support this is not entirely clear.

Research from Hays suggests that strict return-to-office policies could harm diversity, particularly for those who rely on flexible work to balance caregiving, disabilities, or mental health conditions.

As we head toward 2025, firms prioritising flexibility are not only supporting diversity – they’re leading the way in creating a more inclusive legal sector. 🌍

How is your firm balancing office culture with flexibility?