Why is web-based software a game-changer for law firms?
South Africa - Tech4Law
There are a number of reasons why law firms should implement web-based software solutions. But the bottom line is that it reduces costs, improves security, and simplifies support. Work from anywhere
This is one of the main reasons why web-based software reduces costs. Some employees can work from home, reducing office rental and improving work/life balance – which in turn allows the firm to attract and retain talented people. It’s not just about saving floor space though, it is also about saving time. Time spent on office teas, time lost to illnesses like the flu (which spread in office environments), time wasted in traffic, and time wasted on office politics!
It also means that law firms can have a decentralised structure with branch offices closer to where employees live, all connected via the Internet. Usually, these branch offices have lower rentals than city offices. And a shorter travel time. Some firms also place employees inside their major clients’ offices to improve service, and web-based software allows these remote workers to connect to the office remotely without any connectivity costs.
“Work from anywhere” is a game-changer for the legal profession. Not only now, during the COVID pandemic, but into the future as firms are forced to change the way they go about business in order to increase profit margins.
Tech4Law
Construction’s bittersweet return
South Africa - Property360
Monday will be a bitter-sweet day for the construction industry as workers are finally permitted to pick up their tools and restart their equipment after two months.
They will do so while bearing in mind the number of construction enterprises that have had to shut their doors following financial loss during the national lockdown which was implemented at the end of March. Even those that survived will have to overcome many setbacks and challenges brought about by the two-month lockdown.
This period has been “very difficult” for the industry, says John Matthews, president of Master Builders South Africa. “The industry has suffered huge losses during lockdown. Many active sites were left without any form of security resulting in loss of material and building equipment.
Property360
The EAABs commitment to continued service delivery
South Africa - EAAB
South Africa's Covid-19 Command Council (CCC) briefing on Thursday, 28 May detailed the final Level 3 Alert Level Regulations giving most of the country's workforce the green light to start operating fully.
The Covid-19 Regulations do not expressly make it mandatory for the EAAB to open its offices however the EAAB is putting measures in place to ready itself for preparing for some EAAB employees to resume duty at the EAAB offices in order to continue with service delivery. Some of such measures include implementation of the proper health and safety protocols, the appointment of a Covid-19 Compliance Officer, and setting up a Safety Plan to be inspected as needed, as detailed by the CCC.
Government is still advising that extreme caution be taken, especially in the country's hotspots, and that health imperatives such as social distancing and the compulsory need for screening and wearing of masks continues to be strictly followed.
EAAB
Law shouldn't ignore those who hate working from home
UK - LawGazette
There’s an extent to which the current debate about working from home is based on false experiences.
Working from home right now is tough: the kids might be whingeing in the background, your flatmate might be hogging the living room and endless Zoom meetings may well be leaving you weary.
But this isn’t really working from home (and full disclosure: I’m a convert). The great joy of WFH is the chance to escape: escape the commute, escape the same four walls, escape the routine. With cafes, museums, pubs and gyms closed – plus the option of seeing others for so long denied to us – this has been working at home rather than from. If you don’t like it, perhaps that’s because we’re not doing it right.
Law Gazette
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