Law Firms Take Note: 90% of Senior Corporate Executives Say Work Life Balance is Critical

A recent survey of 1,311 executives in the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pacific by the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) reveals a sea-change in the attitudes of senior corporate executives, with a growing number rejecting long hours and the scramble up the corporate ladder in favor of a better quality of life.

The survey found, among other things, that:

• More than 50% of senior executives said they have not achieved a satisfactory work-life balance.
• Almost 90% of senior executives said that work life balance considerations were critical in their decision to join or remain with an employer.
• Almost 60% of senior executives stated that, even when they are technically off duty, BlackBerry messages and cell phone calls cut into their personal time.
• 50% of senior executives said they would like to take a sabbatical; however, 83 per cent said their companies do not allow them.

Results such as these should send a wakeup call to law firms populated by partners every bit as bright, ambitious and talented as senior executives at major corporations. This is especially the case in light of recent media coverage noting that 37% of young associates quit their jobs at major law firms after three years of practice (see story here), and observing the failure of women attorneys to reach partnership at major law firms in significant numbers (see story here).

A key issue driving such trends is the failure of many law firms to pay attention to the work life balance needs of their attorneys. Unfortunately, as we've stressed before, there are solutions that law firms are overlooking such as "job sharing" and "telecommuting." And as firms like Bowman & Brooke find (see story here), accommodating the work life balance needs of talented attorneys, aside from being the right thing to do, also makes business sense in terms of higher retention (which translates into reduced training and recruiting costs).

See further detailed discussions of the AESC survey results here and here.