Flexible working is now the norm for Britain’s biggest law firms, with online flexible benefits are now in place in more than half of Legal 100 law firms.
That’s according to figures just released from the HR in Law and Portus Flexible Benefits Survey 2013. Portus Consulting CEO Stuart Gray comments: “In our last survey in 2008, just under 15 percent of Legal 100 firms provided flexible benefits online. In just a few years, this has soared to 54 percent. It certainly won’t stop there – most of the remaining respondents in the Legal 100 are also saying they plan to provide online flex in the near future. So it’s definitely becoming the norm at this level.” This means that staff will be expecting to see flex in the offering when they change employers.
When the question is broadened out to all sectors of law firms, close to half say they will review the possibility of providing flex in the near future, while around a quarter already provide it. Those with online flex are better placed to offer voluntary benefits, because of the online system in place. The survey shows that buying and selling of holidays, extra insurance (dental, travel, critical illness), discount shopping and options for charitable giving by staff are all far more likely to be offered in a firm with online flex than one without. Online flex also offers a chance to keep staff better educated about benefits than in a traditional setup, according to Gray. With online flex,’ he says, ‘you can engage staff from day one and keep them engaged as they have to log on to update their choices annually or when a ‘life event’ occurs. We’re seeing the results in this survey. More than 90 percent of firms say they’ve had good or excellent feedback from staff.”
As in the last survey, employers value Total Reward Statements (TRS) more than any other flex feature. These real-time online statements show employees the true value of their benefits, thus raising appreciation. For HR directors worrying about costs and implementation for online flexible benefits, the survey is reassuring. National Insurance savings can be released through the use of salary exchange, giving the possibility of a cost-neutral launch. Respondents gave useful tips for smooth implementation. Most important, they said, were: thorough pre-launch testing; good planning from an efficient project manager; and a good relationship with the consultant. Rob Hind, Chairman HR in Law and Head of Human Resources at Macfarlanes LLP noted that: “Law firms are at last responding to the demands of different generations of employees. Driven by HR-led compensation and benefits policies and benefits packages that are easy to understand, law firms are realizing that they can achieve differentiation and market position in a competitive sector.
