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Keeping It Casual

Nearly Half of Canadian Lawyers Prefer Less Formal Work Environment, Survey Finds

TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2016 /CNW/ - Canadian lawyers may dress formally for clients and court appearances but many prefer a more relaxed atmosphere at the office, recent research from Robert Half Legal reveals. Nearly half of lawyers interviewed (46 per cent) said they prefer a casual work setting, while less than one-third of respondents (32 per cent) favour a more formal workplace.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Legal, a premier legal staffing and consulting solutions firm specializing in the placement of lawyers, paralegals and other highly skilled legal professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on 150 telephone interviews with lawyers at law firms with 20 or more employees and companies with 1,000 or more employees in Canada.

Lawyers were asked, "In general, do you prefer a more formal or casual work environment?" Their responses*:

Much more formal

6%

Somewhat more formal

26%

Neither formal nor casual

22%

Somewhat more casual

43%

Much more casual

3%

Don't know

1%


101%

*Responses do not total 100 per cent due to rounding.

"In today's competitive job market, employers are using creative strategies to recruit and retain legal professionals, including adopting a less formal work environment that reflects a business casual dress code and offers a comfortable physical workspace to encourage team collaboration," said Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal. "A more relaxed workplace can reduce stress, foster creativity and ultimately enhance productivity and job satisfaction."

About Robert Half Legal
Robert Half Legal is the premier provider of legal staffing and consulting solutions for law firms and corporate legal departments. With North American and global locations, Robert Half Legal provides a customized approach, including managed review, legal project management and eDiscovery services, to help organizations handle constantly changing workloads. The company offers in-demand expertise across practice areas as well as highly skilled legal professionals on a temporary, project and full-time basis. More information about our full suite of legal staffing and consulting solutions can be found at roberthalf.ca/legal. Follow @RobertHalf_CAN on Twitter and visit http://www.roberthalf.ca/blog for workplace news, trends and advice.

Contact: Naz Araghian
416.865.2140
naz.araghian@roberthalf.com

SOURCE Robert Half Legal