The corona virus outbreak has really brought home the importance of having a contingency plan in place when an emergency breaks out. This time it was a virus, but next time it could be a fire, an earthquake, a storm, a flood, or whatever. We just don’t know until it happens, but we can be prepared for the unexpected.
It’s too easy to have a contingency plan in place.
For instance, we’ve got an intake workshop going on in April with a small group in an intensive, hands-on meeting, and we’ve started planning now to allow for virtual attendance. There are ways for this to be planned.
At our law firm, anyone who is sick or has sick people at home, cannot come to work in the office. We have upped our communications guidelines to support people who are working at home with kids. It’s just not realistic to think someone can work 8-5 while the kids are running around and bored at home. So we are open to flex time and odd hours.
We’ve closed the office to unannounced visitors too. For the time being, we’re now working on a ‘by appointment only’ basis. We’re also spreading those appointments out so we’re not dealing with people getting too close. And the office gets wiped down visitors.
The big message I’m giving my firm is flexibility and compassion. We can still move clients’ cases along with a little planning and preparation for change.
