Prioritising wellness in law

By Jasmeen Kaur. 

Reading time: four minutes

Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 (13-19 May), The Student Lawyer’s D&I team have written a series of articles to educate and raise awareness about mental health.

Mental health is frequently disregarded in the field of law in lieu of the unwavering search for success. However, in recent years and in the wake of organisations like LawCare, the legal sector has began to prioritise mental health. This article addresses resources for employees experiencing mental health issues, employer obligations, and how to foster a supportive work environment.

Employer responsibilities

First and foremost, all law firms must abide by the Health and Safety Act (1974) and the Equality Act (2010), which mandate employers have a duty to their employees to ensure their welfare, safety, and physical and mental health.

According to reports, 83% of solicitors experience stress occasionally, and 15% work more than 60 hours weekly. In light of this, it is not surprising that a study found that 71% of lawyers experience anxiety. The legal profession is a stressful environment due to the intense workload and numerous cases. The expectation to just “knuckle down and get on with it” is seen and accepted as the norm.

However, this should not be the case because when mental health starts to affect an individual, it can start affecting their work and their physical health. Hence, these statistics need to be taken into account in a more concerning way than normalised ones.

New research has revealed the startlingly widespread prevalence of both physical and mental health problems among solicitors. 100 lawyers in the UK suffer from poor physical health (61%) as a result of their work, with short and long term issues. This alarming research highlights the toll on people’s health in law.

Furthermore, a staggering 90% of legal professionals stated that they had burned out or experienced stress in some way because of the nature of their jobs. This data underscores the pressing necessity for the legal sector to prioritise mental health and establish nurturing settings that cater to the welfare of lawyers.

In order to achieve this, employers need to focus more on the acts mentioned above as this will not only support employees’ wellbeing but may even make the work they complete to a better standard due to amounts of stress and burnout, which may lead to the work not being completed to the best of their ability.

How to create a supportive work environment

Positive mental health among employees is significantly influenced by having a supportive work environment. Employers can help prevent burnout and enhance general psychological wellbeing by lowering pressures and offering resources for overcoming obstacles, such as flexible work schedules and mental health programmes. This can allow lawyers to take time off their work schedule and focus on their mental health.

These programmes may incorporate activities such as yoga or stress-relieving workouts, to create an environment conducive to relaxation and stress reduction. By allowing lawyers the opportunity to recharge and manage their wellbeing, employers can cultivate a workforce that feels refreshed and less fatigued.

For law firms, having flexible work hours is crucial, particularly in the demanding legal industry. Just a few work from home days for solicitors can have a significant positive effect on their mental health. There is a break from the pressure and exhaustion that come with working in an office when they are at home. It offers a sense of serenity and relaxation that could be difficult to get among the demands of a hectic work environment.

Furthermore, this flexibility increases the productivity of law firms by improving lawyers’ mental health. Firms may guarantee that their employees retain high productivity levels without compromising their mental health by creating an environment that encourages concentrated work, whether at the office or at home.

Employee mental health resources

Each law firm has its own resources available for employees to access to ensure their mental health is in control. Below are three firms which have resources they use.

Linklaters

Linklaters has introduced a mental health app called BetterSpace. The app is designed to revolve around the six pillars of mental health and aims to increase accessibility to resources for maintaining mental health. The app has a unique directory of online and in-person wellness services. It includes a “best of” list of mental health-promoting items, apps, and volunteer opportunities.

336 UK employees participated in the second pilot, and the results show that the employees are pleased with the app. Of those, 70% reported improving mental health literacy after using BetterSpace, 81% found a resource they would keep using, and 91% requested that the company’s partnership with BetterSpace continue.

Slaughter and May

Slaughter and May are members of the Thrive Committee, which works to de-stigmatise mental illness, promote mental health issues in the workplace and in personal life. They also encourage open communication and listening, and develop a strong network of resources and support for staff members who are dealing with mental health, wellbeing issues or who are just looking to learn more about how to support others around them.

They also have podcasts, including events and initiatives where Thrive creates a plan to assist employees and encourage conversations about wellness. This is on top of the numerous social and educational events that are held throughout the year.

Fieldfisher

Fieldfisher is joining forces with LawCare, the legal community’s charity for mental health, to participate in a roundtable discussion on the stresses that adversely impact the welfare of solicitors in private practice and in-house.

• They talked about wanting to introduce “firebreaks,” or reasonable relaxation periods in between deals, akin to the days of rest for professional sportsmen.
• Similar to firebreaks, red, amber, and green days let teams know that some days will be hectic, some steady, and some slow—and that a good mix is okay.
• Scheduling regular time for personal reconciliations.
• Raising awareness and implementing actions to promote psychological safety (much like workplaces monitor physical health and safety).
• To guarantee breaks and prevent “team fatigue,” schedule time slots in calendars for both no-calls and 50-minute calls, among other options.

Finally

In a nutshell, even while law firms are working to prioritise mental health, the sobering data highlight the need for more extensive intervention. By acknowledging the frequency of mental health issues, establishing strong support networks, and creating an environment that prioritises wellbeing, the legal profession may enhance the mental health protection of its employees.