“At Reed Smith, we are continually looking at how we can evolve and adapt our ways of working to embrace technology and afford our staff greater flexibility. We have taken the decision to adopt agile working in order to fully support all personnel in meeting their work goals: where, when and how they see fit” said Reed Smith London managing partner Andrew Jenkinson.
“Already we have seen that with greater agility in the way in which we work, there has been a positive impact on productivity and retention of the best talent. We recognise that while there will be occasions where agile working is not the best solution, with excellent communication and strong judgment, much can be achieved.”
The Agile Working Policy will enable all personnel in the London office greater flexibility in their working week: individuals will be able to take a more ad-hoc approach to varying their hours and/or location. The policy will provide a great way to balance the need to deliver excellent client service as part of an effective and collaborative team, and provide individuals with flexibility regarding how they work. The key to making agile working successful will be open communication.
All personnel taking advantage of the policy will be required to agree with their partner, practice group leader or line manager in advance. The policy will not apply to those who are undergoing training or require face-to-face supervisory time, or those required to perform on-site facilities roles. Furthermore, agile working will not be appropriate when learning a new role, meeting a client or colleague in person, or when the type of work is of such a confidential nature that it is important to benefit from the security of Reed Smith’s premises.
Technology has had a huge impact on the working environment and the delivery of legal services. At Reed Smith, personnel are able to use the Citrix environment to work securely where there is an internet connection, while mobile devices support working on the move. The benefits of agile working have been proven time and again to increase productivity, and aid talent retention: both of these are crucial in enabling Reed Smith to achieve its goals.
Reed Smith will continue to offer separate formal flexible working arrangements.
