Magic circle firm to monitor office attendance

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Magic circle law firm Clifford Chance has announced plans to monitor employee office attendance.

Since 2021, the firm’s hybrid working system has required staff to be in the office for 50% of their working hours – a policy that will remain unchanged.

However, since the beginning of February, Clifford Chance has been reviewing the attendance data of individuals in its London and Newcastle offices. A spokesperson for the firm said this was to help “managers better understand and support their team’s adherence to” the firm’s hybrid working policy.

Speaking on the firm’s hybrid approach, a Clifford Chance representative said: “We know from our own experience and employee feedback that when consistently applied, our hybrid working policy provides our people a greater opportunity to learn, develop and collaborate with colleagues.”

They added that it not only supports “growth ambitions” but also enhances “the culture of the firm”.

Clifford Chance isn’t the only firm that’s started to monitor employee office attendance. Earlier this year fellow magic circle firm Slaughter and May revealed that it’s also clamping down on lawyers who avoid mandatory office attendance.

In a leaked email from Slaughter and May’s managing partner, Deborah Finkler, it was said that “while most people have been adhering to this requirement; it is clear that some have not”.