Throughout the last year I have consistently heard that we need to “plan for the digital future.”  Time and time again famous entrepreneurs like Marc Cubin or Gary Vaynerchuk have mentioned on podcasts, YouTube videos and Good Morning America interviews spouting the importance of digital technology.  

What I find to be the key takeaway from those discussions is the need for our attention to acknowledge and accept that we are already in a digital world, and whether we go back to work in the office or not, digital is not going away.  Technology has brought us tremendous amounts of opportunities for businesses across the country; Estate and Elder Law firms are no exception. Have you accepted our new reality yet? 

If not, that’s okay, please know each person (and each situation) is different, requiring different judgments and outcomes. That is why some firms have had their entire staff vote to go remote, while others decided to stay in the office. As leaders we must accept that people work best in a variety of environments. The decision of going remote or staying is also a reflection of the company’s culture. Personally, I like to rotate what days I am in the office vs. working at home. In the office, I am productive because there are no distractions. It is just me, my coffee, and the computer. At home, there is the leisure to occasionally do a load of laundry, because the lack of commute allows me to start my day earlier, which I will admit, excites my OCD by getting a head start on the day. Little things like these can motivate employees. We encourage you to have an open discussion with your employees about this and potentially have some flexibility where permissible.  

Please take that last sentence literally. Providing your employees some flexibility does not mean that you become a push over leader who has an inconsistent team. This cannot become an excuse for mediocrity. Please remember, the culture you had before these changes will look different but, should still exist regardless of the changes you make. As Mike Tomlin says, “the standard is the standard.”  

This is the “COVID confusion” that encouraged me to write this article. We are naturally resistant to change. However, just because something out of our control forced us to change where or how we work, does not mean that our culture, goals, or quality of service has to suffer.  Take a few minutes today and step back and ask yourself-how do we accept this change for good?  

Dedicated to Your Success, 

Dominic Loffredo,

Director of Operations