Scaling the Old Fashioned Way- With People!
Jo Alilovic
Author Hannah Trotter
AI, Automation, Technology – it’s everywhere in business, but buying and using tech isn’t always the best way to scale your law firm.
While tech is great and often essential, it can’t do ‘human’. It can’t empathise with a client, see how they’re feeling, or give suggestions and solutions based on that understanding.
Every firm needs humans but there’s a lot of nervousness when it comes to employing people.
Jo is here to bust some myths about hiring employees.
Myth 1 - Use Contractors (it's easier!)
Jo’s first myth is for those who think they’re better off using contractors than hiring employees.
Jo encouraged us to consider whether contractors really understand our business, our values, and whether they are really invested in the vision of our businesses.
When you have a team of employees, they are invested in helping your business succeed.
If you’re convinced that this isn’t the case for your contractors, ask yourself:
- Are they really a contractor or are they actually an employee?
- Whose business is their priority? Remember! Contractors need to make their own businesses their priority and yours will likely come second to that.
Employees can bring huge advantages for your business. Finding the right person can make all the difference to how your business functions.
Myth 2 - It's Just Too Difficult to Have Employees
We all know people have their own values, beliefs and issues – so why would we want to deal with them as employees?
One of the most common complaints from business owners is the admin involved in hiring.
Jo has provided the 5 things we need to do to hire employees (and they really aren’t that difficult!)
- Have a job description;
- Have a contract of employment;
- Consider the insurance;
- Forms! (Tax forms, super forms)
- Payroll (add them to your system!
Beyond hiring, the most common complaints from employers is that their employees don’t know what they’re doing or behave unacceptably. To this, Jo says that this problem can be solved by having clear job descriptions, a code of conduct, open communication, and leading by example.
Myth 3 - I Can Do It Alone!
The reality is, unless we acknowledge that we can’t do it all alone, we are going to end up feeling burned out.
33% of lawyers are suffering from some type of distress or depression.
Having a team to carry the load is a huge antidote to this sense of being alone and isolated. You are given the opportunity to not only share in the difficult times but share in the wins.
When we bring on team members, we surround ourselves with different strengths. Employees bring fresh ideas and insights that we can’t achieve on our own.
Thank you to our partners for helping us bring The Retreat 2019 (a law conference like no other!) to you!
PLATINUM PARTNER
Our platinum partner Automio are thrilled to a part of the Club Retreat 2019. If you have been wanting to find out more about Automio’s combination of legal automation software and world-class training to scale your law firm to 7 figures you can book in a demo session with Business Development Manager, Mike Mullins here.
Automio love working with entrepreneurial lawyers just like you to help you scale up your law firm. And the final ‘Automio bedazzle’ we have for you is a special offer for you on Automio’s ‘Scale Up Springboard Training Program.’
If you enrol in Scale Up by 5pm AEDT 12 November you will get these fabulous free bonuses:
– A new, high-converting law firm website OR have our fabulous copywriter write high-converting copy for your firm’s website.
– A bonus small group VIP Event with Claudia King in Sydney before the 2 day Intensive.
– Up to $500 off your travel to the Sydney Intensive paid for
You can learn more about this offer at the Automio booth!
Hi there! I’m Hannah and I am a law student currently in my third year at Queensland University of Technology. I graduated high-school in 2014 completely clueless about who I was, what I wanted and how I intended to get there. To many people’s surprise (including my own) I moved from my family farm on the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane to start my law degree in 2016.
Following my first year I commenced work as the Receptionist at Brisbane Family Law Centre. Having worked with this amazing team for nearly 2 years, I have been given a learning opportunity that goes beyond lectures and tutorials by providing a practical experience of the world of Law. My experience as part of the BFLC team has taught me that a Law career does not have to fit into a traditional box which has ignited a new passion for my studies as well as my future career in the legal profession.
In the meantime, I’ll stick to writing musicals, drinking coffee and playing board games.