Traffic light system 🚦
Clyde & Co will give coloured wristbands to UK lawyers and staff working in the office as a way to indicate how cautious they are being with Covid and the level of contact they wish to have with colleagues.
The bands are voluntary and take a cue from traffic lights: green is “for go” and signals they’re okay to press flesh and return to 2019 norms; amber means they’re “not quite there yet” and perhaps okay with elbow bumps only for now; and red equals “greet from six feet”, indicating they’re quite cautious and want those around them to keep their distance and wear a face mask.
“Our shift to hybrid working has been really positive, but we are keen to make sure that everyone feels comfortable in the office and confident to express their preferences,” said Rob Hill, partner and chair of the firm’s UK board, in a statement. “We’ve introduced wristbands, an idea which we have seen other organisations use, as a way of drawing attention to the fact that we shouldn’t assume all our colleagues feel the same about things like shaking hands, mask wearing or social distancing.”
As lawyers return to the office in greater numbers, law firms are having to reassess their Covid safety measures in place. Debevoise & Plimpton and Morrison & Foerster have mandated Covid vaccinations this autumn for all lawyers, staff and visitors to their London offices.