Staff at Norton Rose have voted overwhelmingly in support of the firm’s flexible working scheme, which will give the firm the option to put partners and salaried staff on a four-day week.
The contingency plan, which can be put into action at any point over the next 12 months, was supported by 96 per cent of staff in a vote.
It will allow the firm to ask staff to work four days a week on 85 per cent of base salary, or take a sabbatical of four to 12 weeks at 30 per cent of base salary.
Norton Rose CEO Peter Martyr: “This is a starting point – we want to use it as sparingly as we need to. But this makes things much easier to deal with as we don’t have to take a long-term decision which could be catastrophic.
“Nobody gets less than 80 per cent of their annual income and all the benefits remain the same.”
When the scheme was announced last month, Martyr said that partners would be included in any flexible working arrangements (16 March).
He told The Lawyer: “It’s right for partners to take the lead and say, ‘we’re standing in this together’.”
Salans has also offered flexible working to some of its staff, with four-day working on 80 per cent of pay or sabbaticals on 30 per cent of pay (23 March).
Simmons & Simmons is in negotiations with staff in one of the departments affected by its redundancy consultation with the aim of reducing hours by 10 per cent to save a single job.
What are the 4 per cent who said no going to do now – leave?
Flexible working options make sense in this environment. I expect we’ll see more creative thinking in this area during the downturn.
When Norton Rose first announced this move there was some trepidation about the response from the lawyers. But now they can all see it is a good idea will other firms start to follow suit? Anything firms can do to save staff, including partners taking a cut in partner PEP, will work wonders when the economy picks up again. Not only will staff be kept happy, but so will clients. Good move.
I’m still not sure how this is going to work in practice and how Norton Rose can accommodate people who all want to take Friday off!
Good point – what’s the four percent’s opinion on what should be done?
I don’t see the problem. Obviously you don’t let everyone take Friday, you have to be flexible. It’s better than losing your job.
And I think that explains the 4% – it’s a subset of those partners who feel they’d never be at risk from layoffs. That means there must have been a lot of other people who were sure they’d be safe but still think this is better than layoffs. Good for them, probably.
As an Ex-NR inmate this reflects on the forward thinking of a majority of the NR partnership. Thankfully there are firms out there who demonstrate lateral thinking. Although wasn’t Mills & Reeve the first to start the flexible working ball rolling?
What will be interesting to see is how many people dont want to lose their four day week when things pick up again in late 2009.
Bravo, Norton Rose. Your management is to be commended for their laudable stance, which stands in stark contrast to the abominable, unenlightened and ultimately self-destructive behavior of firms like Linklaters, who have behaved so shamefully. Simon Davies take note.
Well after Management selling Flex as a contingency plan telling employees Partners will also be included and getting employees to sign up, Guess what? They could not wait to implement right off on the first day it came in putting loads of assistants on it – sabbaticals and 4 day week but Partners escape having to reduce their hours and pay. The reason – Partners need to stay in the office to get in the business. Employees were sold down the river and Partners are looking after themselves and making the workhorses pay. Whole teams in corporate shipping banking drd have been chosen and formal notices are being sent. Not at all fair and an actionable misstatement by Management