Another big employer to opt for flexible working model

Irwin Mitchell has confirmed it will allow colleagues to choose how they wish to work in future with a “Flexible by Choice” approach to its ways of working.

The law firm, which has offices in Sheffield and Leeds, has told its 3,000 employees that subject to their role and client work being completed effectively, they will be able to make the choice about where and when they choose to work.

It says all staff already have laptops and are equipped for flexible working options which have worked well throughout the pandemic.

Its 15 offices are expected to be open at 50% capacity from 21 June due to anticipated ongoing COVID-19 health and safety restrictions and in future they are expected to become hubs for collaborative working.

Irwin Mitchell says it has carried out research among both colleagues and clients to determine the best approach to working in the future.

The majority suggested they would prefer a hybrid approach to working, spending some time in the office and at home or other locations.

Susana Berlevy, chief people officer at the firm, said: “We’ve seen throughout the pandemic how much colleagues have embraced working from home and have appreciated being able to work flexibly around their lives.

“From listening to our colleagues we anticipate most people to take up hybrid working patterns with time split between offices and home.

“There will also be some roles which are office based due to the nature of the work they do, and we expect some people will wish to work from home full-time.

“It’s crucial that we trust our colleagues to make the best choice for themselves, the other colleagues in their teams and their clients in how they decide to work in future.

“We know wellbeing is also an important consideration, we’re building this into our policies and we also have extensive resources available to help our colleagues to build their resilience and overcome any challenges they face.”

Following a positive FY21 performance Irwin Mitchell last week confirmed it was to repay funds it received through the furlough scheme and will pay an additional 3% bonus to all colleagues.