With communities across Illinois, the nation, and the world returning to the office, attorneys and law firms are no doubt part of the masses. In a recent study, the majority of Americans think that COVID-19 has changed for the better the way Americans work and that the least thing they missed from working in the office was food and less distraction. Equally important, 53% believe that businesses should be held responsible for employees getting sick.
With these statistics in mind in the context of returning to the office, this is an ideal time to take a step back and improve your office space, adopt new habits, and perhaps remove the clutter that has built up over years. If anything, see this as an opportunity for a fresh start. Here are our top tips to making the best of this occasion.
OFFICE SET-UP
Your physical office space might be perfect as is or it might need room for improvement. If it’s not apparent up front, ask yourself if everything you need on a daily basis is exactly where you need it. For instance, is your printer within arm’s reach, is the paper to load the printer easily accessible, are your immediate case files at your fingertip, is your filing cabinet with current files next to your chair, etc.?
Also, now that you’re returning to the office after some absence, look at the flow of your office space with fresh eyes. Is it appealing to clients from the door and from where they will sit, and will they feel that you are organized just by looking at your office? A tidy office reflects professional integrity and builds client confidence. Moreover, can you get in and out of your office with ease or do you have to walk around pieces of furniture that can be easily bumped into? If improvement can be made, note it and then once you’re done with the below steps, return to your improvement plan and make the space more inviting and easier to work in.
DETACHMENT 101
If you know when you’ll be returning to the office, see if you can return a day earlier to go through what you left behind. Bring an empty box for donations, a bag for recycling material, and a garbage bag for trash.
In going through items, whatever you were able to live without during your WFH time, seriously detach yourself from them and let them go: donate, recycle, or throw the items away if they are truly unusable. Attachment is a detriment if it leads to clutter.
For donating items, we use the basic rule that if it’s in fair to excellent condition, let someone else use it. PRO TIP 1: Remember to get your receipt for tax purposes, you’ll thank yourself during tax season. PRO TIP 2: Before getting rid of your old devices, do a “restore to default settings” or “factory reset” to wipe away the all data.
For recycling, check online as to what you can recycle beyond the obvious since not all recycling programs are the same. For instance, Chicago provides a useful table of what its recycling program handles and where you can go to recycle these items. Chicago also provides a special Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility for electronics like old computers, AC adapters, copy machines, fax machines, telephones, shredders, answering machines and more. What’s really awesome about this facility is that they have an electronics training and job placement program for ex-offenders where they learn to rebuild electronics that have been dropped off and then make these rebuilt items available to local non-profits, schools, low-income families, and houses of worship.
For items that are unusable and worthy of being thrown away, check with your municipality as to special items that shouldn’t go into a landfill; the municipality will likely have an alternative site to dispose of these prohibited items. Chicago’s Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility includes a comprehensive list of chemicals that they accept ranging from paints and aerosol cans (think hair spray) to batteries and fire extinguishers. Some commercial businesses provide their own recycling program like Staples (ink and toner cartridges) and Target.
PILES OF FILES
As attorneys, many of us tend to create piles of files and stacks of notes, convinced we’ll go through them when the time is right…which never happens. Returning to the office would be a good time to go through those piles and reevaluate your filing system. What you created years ago may not be applicable or effience today.
As you consider modifying your filing system, modify it in a way that comes naturally to you rather than in a way that makes sense. What we’ve found is that what makes sense can be forgotten in the future, but what naturally comes to us is where we’d naturally look in the future.
Next, look in your filing cabinet and extract those files that you haven’t touched in three or five years (whatever number works) and, unless the law requires you to keep the file, consider recycling that paper if it’s not confidential or, if it is confidential, shredding it. If you have a ton of files, you can hire a shredding company to dispose of these documents. Before tossing, check your state’s Rules of Professional Conduct to make sure you’re in compliance at various levels. For Illinois practitioners, the Illinois State Bar Association’s ethics advisory opinions is a good place to start, providing rules from the Rules of Professional Conduct, Illinois Supreme Court Rules, statutory law, and comparative law with other states.
For those old files that you need to keep, find them a new home like a dedicated archive filing cabinet. Sort these documents into types, like closed cases, CLE notes and materials, old bar association activity, firm finances, firm marketing, and firm business plans. Then, sort each of those sections alphabetically or chronologically and label them accordingly. The key behind sorting is doing it in a way that would be easy for you to find these documents months or years from now. PRO TIP 3: Jotting down a note or saving to your computer a list of where things are currently located can help when you need an item in the future, but can’t remember where you placed it. After doing all of this, you’ll now find room for the new files that have accumulated in your office.
Armed with more room to file away your piles of paperwork, start by sorting through those items. Once you’re done, you can then move those papers to your filing cabinet and label those items based on how you sorted them. For instance, if you have recent CLE material and notes relating to a field of law you practice, create a section in your filing cabinet on that field of law and then, within it, a section for CLE material, and then label that CLE material by substance and date. Once it gets old or that area of law is no longer relevant to your practice, you can then move it to your archived filing cabinet. This can be done with documents ranging from practice management material, legal developments in the rules of professional conduct, bar association activity, firm marketing, immediate firm finances, current business plan, etc. In the meantime, assign a section of your filing cabinet to your current cases and recently closed cases so that you can access these documents faster than shifting through a pile of folders on a chair, side table, or edge of your desk.
PRO TIP 4: We’ve found that investment into a labeler worth the money because it creates profession, easy to read labels.
DEEP CLEAN
Now that you’ve removed the clutter and piles of files, you can do some deep cleaning. If your windows open, bring in that fresh air to uplift the spirit while eliminating odors and germs. At this point, refer back to those changes in your office flow and move things around to improve the space while cleaning away the dust that might have accumulated in nooks and crannies of the furniture and overall space.
STAY HEALTHY
If you found that you felt healthier while working from home, examine why. It could be that you weren’t eating out quite as much, you found a good exercise routine to fold into your day, or that you had better focus with less noise or certain noise in the background. Once you identify those things that made you feel healthier (and probably more productive) see how you can bring those things to your office routine. For instance, if you increased your exercise, see how you can make that a part of your new day-at-the-office routine.
STAY SAFE
With the coronavirus still a threat to our health, take the necessary precautions in your office and the general office area as well before you open your doors and afterward. Returning to the office can be made safe by adopting some common-sense practice. Place hand sanitizer in strategic areas for you, your staff, and for clients. In the reception area, keep chairs far apart sending a message to clients that your office still observes social distancing. Placing clear barriers on your desk also minimizes the spread of this contagion. Reviewing the CDC guidelines is a useful place to start to ensure you’re doing your part to protect yourself and others.
In terms of others in your office, if your own office doesn’t allow for proper distancing to meet with clients, find a creative way to place a barrier on your desk or find an alternative space – your clients will appreciate this. If you have associates and staff, evaluate their work areas and adjust as needed. PRO TIP 5: Getting input from your associates and staff will not only make them feel valued, but they might provide great ideas.
Have disposable face masks available for those who left theirs behind – and wear them when you’re in close proximity to others. Since you can be an unknown carrier of this deadly contagion, basic decency dictates that you owe it to others to keep your germs to yourself.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re finding yourself returning to the office, this is a good opportunity to take a step back and bring your office into the moment. With a little decluttering and reorganizing, you can improve efficiency and overall work productivity. Equally important, you can fold in healthier habits that you obtained while working from home to make a healthier, happier you. Lastly, remain vigilant in upholding your own safety and the safety of others by practicing proper social distancing, masking, and cleanliness.
Disclaimer: The above is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal advice. Seek legal advice only from an attorney. Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or would like to schedule a consult.
