We’re noticing a trend occurring in firms now that work from anywhere and hybrid operations have really taken root: an increase in turnovers as employees leave for new opportunities. This shift has created knowledge gaps as experienced staff leave, and new hires are brought on board who need to be trained on internal systems and processes. With some staff working from anywhere and other staff back in the office, firms face the added challenge of onboarding and training new hires across a multitude of environments.

The diversity of work environments is also making it a challenge to implement and execute ongoing training for existing staff. Many training programs have been neglected during the pandemic as firms navigated what would become the new norm. Additionally, many firms are not being as diligent about training new hires as they once were. The result is staff who are not fully trained on current technology and processes, leading to diminished productivity. But proper onboarding of new hires and ongoing training for all staff improves productivity and leads to increased staff retention. This provides long-term benefits, saving money on the investments necessary to bring on new staff, cover the costs of training them, and providing access to the resources needed to do their jobs. 

Training is critical not just for new solutions or processes but also to help establish best practices. Staff who are trained regularly on advanced features, useful functions, and best practices learn better ways to do things, leading to more efficient processes and better overall performance. Providing staff with the skills training they need to do their jobs effectively helps increase productivity, boost morale, and decrease turnover. Ensuring that all staff is trained on the solutions they use drives better ROI for any firm’s investments in technology solutions.

Take this recent example from one of our clients on our Lunch and Learn series that we designed specifically for their firm’s needs after surveying their staff:

Being a new employee with my firm, I had no idea what I was walking into in terms of software, programs, etc. I had never worked for a law firm before, so this was all new to me. In working with Baker Cadence, I started training, and while I am still training, I can honestly say that what I have learned, and how I have learned it so far has been invaluable. So much so, that management took my advice and put all of our employees through the same training. We have weekly Lunch and Learns, on a variety of programs and topics, and our employees are not only getting a refresher on what they learned years ago but are learning something new every week. While constant training can sometimes be cumbersome, this is not. Our software is constantly changing, and the weekly training is putting us ahead of the curve. Without the training, we would be lost, so I can honestly say that when the Lunch and Learns are over, we will continue to implement a training schedule that will allow our employees to stay ahead, and continue learning.

– Emily Silverstein, Services Executive & Administrator at Van De Poel  Levy Arneal & Serot

Does your firm need help driving better ROI and adoption of technology solutions? Baker + Cadence has years of experience working directly with legal professionals and attorneys to get the most out of their software investments. We are here to support you and your team. Let us survey your team on what they know and what they would like to know more about the solutions they use every day. With the survey data, we can design a just-in-time training curriculum for your firm.

For more information, please feel free to email me directly at bbaker@bakercadence.com, or call at 916-347-4607.