Six days over fortnight
Travers Smith has become the latest City player to announce changes to its agile working policy, with lawyers now expected to be in the office 60% of the time.
The move means lawyers will need to be at their desks for six days over a two week period, as opposed to the five days under the old approach.
The are a number of exceptions for staff who have “alternative working arrangements”, the firm said, “and/or who need reasonable adjustments”.
“Over the summer we undertook a planned and thorough review of our agile working protocol,” a spokesperson for Travers said. “[This was] brought in immediately after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, to ensure that the firm is well-placed for the success of hybrid working in the long term.”
They continued:
“As a firm we recognise the benefits of increased agile working, and we want to combine these positively with our culture, the need for collaboration and, most importantly, our responsibility to provide an environment for everyone in which they can learn, feel supported and form cohesive teams.”
Earlier this summer Freshfields made changes to its working guidelines that mean lawyers are required in the office at least three days a week. The Magic Circle player previously observed a 50% policy.
The change at Travers follows its decision to provide free meals for its lawyers in a bid to minimise food waste from its canteen and, as some Legal Cheek readers suggested at the time, encourage staff to come into the office on a more regular basis.
