April King opts for eye-catching tent solution as lawyers prepare to return to office
As lockdown restrictions across the country slowly ease, law firms face a difficult decision: let lawyers continue to work from home, or put measures in place to ensure their safety within the workplace.
Nottingham outfit April King Legal appears to have opted for the latter, creating a series of tent-based isolation booths for its lawyers and staff.
The firm’s founder and CEO, Paul King, posted a series of images of what, at first glance, looks like the gazebo section of your local garden centre.
Time to look forward…
I’m with you @RDLC_PIRATES pic.twitter.com/ZH0cRLIiCL— Paul King (@PaulKingCEO) May 19, 2020
But what the snaps actually show is the firm’s post-lockdown set-up, featuring a dozen or so two metre by two metre, Amazon-sourced, green tents complete with arch-shaped window panels.
Lois, I think we need ‘tented chambers’, sure GM would appreciate. Here’s mine in Notts https://t.co/1z6Rdsm3CB pic.twitter.com/Ik8aZ3WS7p
— Paul King (@PaulKingCEO) May 19, 2020
“Our open plan office at April King Legal required a creative solution to the issue of a potential airborne virus,” King told Legal Cheek. “Simple perspex screens do not offer maximum protection so the idea of ‘legal glamping’ was born.”
He continued:
“Our staff are starting to return from next week but feedback so far has been really positive. So much so that I’m thinking of making it a permanent fixture. Deck chairs are on order and an Xmas theme may include artificial snow for our ‘ski lodges’. A workplace can be both productive and fun! Something we all need especially at the moment.”
News of the eye-catching measures comes just 24-hours after a London law firm told staff they can work from home until at least the end of the year.
Disputes specialist Hausfeld confirmed it will reopen its City office as soon as it is safe to do so, but that staff can continue to work remotely or pick and choose when they come into the office.
The move came in response to a firm survey which found that roughly 30% of staff wanted to return to the office five days a week, 30% would prefer to come in part-time, and a further 30% would like to continue remote working, amid concerns about childcare or using pubic transport.
Anthony Maton, London managing partner and vice-chair, said: “As the last ten weeks confirm, we have continued to work efficiently at pre-COVID-19 levels. We didn’t have to furlough staff, and have continued to welcome new joiners to the team during that time and in the next few weeks.”
He added: “It was clear there was a worry, so it was important to remove that cause for anxiety and show our trust in the Hausfeld staff to continue to deliver as brilliantly as they have during the last 2.5 months.”
