Walking home after my first day back in the office post-lockdown, soaking in a rare Scottish balmy evening, I felt like I had lost a limb; I had left my laptop in the office. Over the last 18 months, my laptop been no more than 5 steps away from me at any time. On arriving home, “Phantom Ring” set in. I could swear I could hear my phone ring and my email inbox ping without the laptop even being in my flat. It soon subsided and the liberation of a physical separation between office and home swept over me.
This month I finally qualified as a Solicitor. To celebrate and mark the occasion, I decided to return to the office. I knew the rest of my team – the team I have been working with for the last 6 months – would be there and that I would be meeting them in person for the first time.
The night before going in to the office I emptied the contents of my wardrobe to find my old office pass and some work clothes I could still fit into. I was filled with anxiety. While I knew the team had been as welcoming as they could be over email and video call, I had essentially qualified into a team whom I had never met in person. In fact, more of my traineeship had been spent working from the safety of my kitchen than in the office.
After that first day back in the office, once the initial laptop separation anxiety had worn off, I felt more relaxed than I had in a while. I filled this time catching up on LinkedIn, connecting with contacts and reading some articles which have been sitting in my ‘Bookmarks’ tab for months.
“Not only did the separation between home and office open my mind and attention to other activities, which may contribute to longer term development, but my adventure into the office also left me feeling rejuvenated. It was a real morale boost to be face to face with other lawyers and reminded of why I chose my firm in the first place.”
For someone who considers themselves at times a bit of an introvert, it was easy to think I didn’t need the human interaction. I also believed that I worked better from home; able to keep my head down and zone out from any distractions. While I definitely believe productivity and efficiency can be enhanced in a home environment, I also realise now that I was losing out on the benefits of working in a physical office. Although I may not get my to-do-list done as quickly in the short term, I believe being back in a physical office and having that separation between home and work, at least a couple of days a week, is essential for my personal wellbeing. I also believe having the visibility and contact with other lawyers contributes significantly to my development and engagement.
I appreciate that the position on working in the office is dependent on Government guidance, and I understand the guidance to currently be work from home where you can. Covid is still rife, and we should remain vigilant to minimise transmission. Nonetheless, I would encourage everyone to take the opportunity to return to the office where they can. One huge benefit of being a member of the WS Society is having an office away from the office. If you don’t have the option to go in to a physical office at the moment, the WS can provide that important separation, with the added bonus of being a picturesque place to work. I have also heard anecdotally of more lawyers taking on jobs across the country, however with the intention of working from home in Scotland. This is understandable given the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that it is possible to work remotely and has removed the limitations traditionally imposed by geographical barriers. In such a scenario, a WS membership allows you access to a great network of lawyers who may be in the same position, as well as a fantastic working space.
Regardless of where your ‘office’ is, I think we can all now truly appreciate the benefits of having a place to go for work, away from home. I don’t think the physical office will be replaced by working from home any time soon, although I am excited to try a hybrid approach to working going forward. I am very fortunate to be with a firm who supports and encourages that flexibility.
Melissa Laurie, Newly Qualified Solicitor in the TMIC team at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP and WS Society Member since 2017.