Old stagers must 'parent' junior staff, lawyers told

LAWCARE: inaugural lecture hears of 'praise and reward' system

Senior lawyers should act as 'parents' to more junior members of staff, and operate a 'praise and reward' system, lawyers at LawCare's inaugural annual lecture were told this week.

Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, said many partners need to learn proper management skills and apply them directly to the assistants under them.

'Lawyers need to be rewarded when they do well, and have praise withheld when they do not,' he said.

'With its long hours and high pressures, the legal profession is one of the most highly stressed jobs for younger people, and they need to be fully supported by their management.'

He also highlighted that stress is the single biggest cause of absenteeism and workplace illness.

A study of 4,000 professionals in Europe carried out by his department in 1998 showed that the economy lost around 31 billion every year because of stress-related problems and illnesses.

'The UK has the longest working hours in Europe, and lawyers are some of the people most at risk from stress,' he said.

'With the downturn in the economy and the pressure to reach billable hours targets, lawyers are losing job security and as a result reaching unhealthy levels of stress.'

The lecture was given to celebrate the fifth year since the establishment of LawCare - which offers lawyers health support and advice - and to welcome the Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf as its honorary president.

Lord Woolf spoke of the pressures facing young lawyers in particular, and the 'great need' for an initiative such as LawCare.

Victoria MacCallum