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Stressed out!

11 June 2009 / Ian Barratt
Issue: 7373 / Categories: Features , Employment
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Ian Barratt explains why employee wellbeing is rising up the work agenda

 

Over the past few months, we have noticed some key indicators emerging that support our view that stress is manifesting itself in new ways as a result of the recession. Many legal firms have been making staff redundant for some time now, particularly where they once had large conveyancing teams. As many firms continue to cut costs, it is left up to the remaining employees to drive the business forward to profitability.

And that’s precisely where the problem lies. In any downsizing operation, the employees who are lucky enough to keep their jobs inevitably take on more work, certainly put in longer hours to get the additional tasks done and some may sacrifice their work/life balance in the process. In the work that we have undertaken with clients during 2009, the legal sector has been badly hit with this type of scenario.

As solicitors are now starting to get busier and taking on more cases, the headcount is not changing to reflect the

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Kate Gaskell, Flex Legal

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Kate Gaskell, CEO of Flex Legal, reflects on chasing her childhood dreams underscores the importance of welcoming those from all backgrounds into the profession

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Special education needs and mental capacity expert joins as partner

NEWS
Overcrowded prisons, mental health hospitals and immigration centres are failing to meet international and domestic human rights standards, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has warned
Two speedier and more streamlined qualification routes have been launched for probate and conveyancing professionals
Workplace stress was a contributing factor in almost one in eight cases before the employment tribunal last year, indicating its endemic grip on the UK workplace
In NLJ this week, Ian Smith, emeritus professor at UEA, explores major developments in employment law from the Supreme Court and appellate courts
Writing in NLJ this week, Kamran Rehman and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper examine Operafund Eco-Invest SICAV plc v Spain, where the Commercial Court held that ICSID and Energy Charter Treaty awards cannot be assigned
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