In This Severe Weather...

We are, apparently, experiencing extreme weather. Anyone from outside the UK may find that rather difficult to understand. My brother, for example, lives in Sydney in Australia and so thinks of thirty celcius as Spring-like.

Whatever your own thoughts about the temperature, the chances are that your staff (and colleagues) think that the weather is extreme and so it is. The fact is that you, as a manager, will have to deal with it. Happily, it is possible to deal with staff concerns and do some good for the organisation at the same time.

• Be a little more relaxed about the hours that people work. Is it really necessary that everyone works between the hours of 8:30 and 18:00? Why not let some people come in at 7:30 and so avoid a hot and sticky commute (in both directions probably?). Why not let some come in at 10:00 and leave at 20:00?
• Be a little more relaxed about what people wear. If they are not customer facing, do they really need to be in a suit and tie? If there is no air conditioning in the office, why not chill a bit about the dress code (see what I did there?).
• Buy some ice cream for your team. It's a simple thing - and don't be fooled into thinking that they will love you forever - but staff will notice and acknowledge your gesture. The British, too, find ice cream almost sinful, so you can all share that 'naughty' moment together.

Goodness knows - if you manage to get through the next few weeks being flexible and buying ice cream, you might be able to continue this for the rest of the year too. All the positive benefits that come from these simple actions might surprise you - or you may, of course think that it's all madness!

Back to work, refreshed...

It is back to work time for many. The schools are either back already or about to start back for the new year and so lawyers - well those with school-aged children particularly - will be able to focus once again on the day job rather than on child care.

That is, of course, presuming that you (assuming you are a lawyer) took a break over the summer. I spoke to a lot that didn't seem to. I lost count of the number of people I spoke to who were on the beach or on a campsite...

This would suggest that we are all becoming a little less skilled at actually taking a break from work. Being in a different location is one thing - actually having a break from work is another. Taking a break really requires a changing of thinking, a slowing down. I'm not sure that is possible if you are picking up every email that is sent to you, and every call.

There were a couple of lawyers I spoke with who tried to compromise - they answered their mobile and then immediately complained about my call since they were on holiday. I should point out that I don't block my number and so they could see that it was me that was calling. If they were on holiday I would have expected my call to go to their voice mail. It is not up to me to know that they are on holiday and so not call...

Holidays and breaks from work are vital. The work environment is pressurised and stressful. We can only give it our all if we are at our best - and I don't believe anyone who tells me that they can function at their best sixty hours a day, six days a week, fifty weeks a year.

So - next time you have a break, switch off the mobile (it's a liberating experience), don't check your emails and try to think about something else for a while. When you return to work, you will feel rested, invigorated and ready for work.

Seems obvious - but so few seem to do it.

I returned from a week's holiday in France. While I was away, a client called. I let the call go to message and late one evening, checked my messages. "Nothing important" was part of the message. So I returned his call when I got back to the UK. My client was rather miffed that I hadn't called straight back. I explained that I had been on holiday. "People called me on my holiday" was his rather petulant response. Perhaps if he had had a proper break, he wouldn't be feeling so petulant...