“Our industry is ripe for mental ill-health, and programs to address this should be front and centre for every firm moving into 2022,” she said.

“Small firms have a unique opportunity to be particularly effective because they can more easily reach all staff and have visibility of all staff – they also have the flexibility to try different wellness approaches and can bend to adapt models, so there is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Small firms have the wonderful capacity to offer services and support that meet the ‘mood’ of the team and the demands on the team simply by virtue of their size and transparency.”

As different personality types respond differently to wellness approaches, Brave Legal has adopted Brave Wellbeing; a wellness-centred staff program that encompasses mindfulness practice, physical wellness, meditation, and the trialling of stress management techniques. The firm has also partnered with an experienced mental health accredited social worker to provide regular training, debriefing and staff check-ins. Offering a “range of support” is something all small firms have the ability to do, said Ms Knoester.

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“Small firms should embrace this ability to be agile in the wellness space and look at offering a wide range of support and services that suit their individual team. These need not be expensive or require a formalised program – a free mindfulness podcast, ice-breakers to deepen connections, group stretch at midday, and planning celebrations,” she said.

“Supporting staff in 2021 is about offering an antidote to the known impact of the COVID lockdown and our new working environments and appreciating more than ever that our industry can be synonymous with poor mental health.”

Particularly after a turbulent, pandemic-ridden 18 months, more firms than ever are opting to implement wellness and mental health initiatives and opening up conversations around psychological health and safety in the workplace. Within what can be a particularly high-stress environment, Ms Knoester said that whilst firms have committed to lockdown perks and other initiatives during the pandemic, the real test will be when “things return to normal”.

“When lawyers start returning to the office more regularly, when children return to school, and childcare becomes available to all who need it, will that commitment to the wellness and engagement of staff remain? 

“For the firms who see our current challenge as an opportunity to really engage with staff and look at what varied training, support, and programs offer the best chance of mental wellbeing and resilience, they will be the firms that really contribute to improved wellbeing in our industry,” she said.

“However, prior to COVID, I think many firms performed poorly in meeting the wellness needs of their staff, and I think very few considered the wellness needs of their clients. I think many lawyers would previously feel embarrassed about checking in on a client’s wellbeing or being able to offer some sort of support outside of strict legal advice. But COVID has made us better at this.”

In addition to wellness programs for staff, Brave Legal has also implemented Brave Support, a free service offered to all clients where they are connected to a counsellor who can support them throughout the duration of their claim.

“COVID conversations have probably helped us deepen connections with our clients. The topic of supporting the wellbeing of clients is a new one in the legal industry, and I think there is a lot to be done in this space,” Ms Knoester added.

Improving employees’ mental wellbeing also “leads to more productive, happier, resilient staff – which leads to better staff retention and engagement,” she continued.

“This has a direct financial benefit for firms in reducing turnover. But almost more importantly, it creates a culture where team members are looking out for another and are trained in the ability to recognise signs of mental ill-health and offer informed support. 

“This type of culture may be the antithesis of what exists in some firms whose financial models or remuneration structures create division and competition,” Ms Knoester explained.

“Investing in wellbeing talks to the priorities of the firm and shows all employees that their health is as important as their financial contribution. In this way, there are both financial and non-financial benefits.”

However, making sure mental health and wellbeing initiatives are fit for purpose needs to be a priority to ensure staff and clients are able to reap the rewards of them.

“Making sure an initiative is fit for purpose is absolutely key. The law attracts a variety of personality types, and each responds to and processes stress differently,” she said.

“I would really like to see firms investing resources in a mental health toolbox for their teams; tools that lawyers and legal staff can draw upon when needed. This means offering teams a diverse range of wellness and mental health initiatives. However, it also means training.”

Furthermore, Ms Knoester added that it is “critical” that firms offer these initiatives as part of a strong commitment to the mental health of their teams above all else.

“Further, senior team members can recognise mental health issues emerging in their team, can offer appropriate support and can adapt their response according to the individual’s needs. In turn, we need to offer training to all working in the law about self-care and peer support,” she said.

“In this way, we become informed, and we have tools to offer and use ourselves. Mental health conversations should no longer be confined to an HR professional in an office on a non-legal floor.”