How do law firms monitor the progression of their associates? Until recently, monitoring focused on one primary question, addressed at one annual event. The key question posed by law firms was some version of what is this associate doing for us? The annual trigger for this moment of monitoring was the salary review season. If we have to review someone's salary, let's benchmark it against their contribution. Sure, there are hard and soft factors, but the emphasis was always on contribution. How did this feel to an associate? Lip service at best, often leaving them unsupported, unvalued and unhappy.

This entire approach is starting to change, and law firms are paying attention. The expectations of the millennial associate, the health and wellbeing crisis, and the talent wars are all contributing to a re-think. Our readership community is very engaged, so maybe we're also contributing.

As we discussed in the previous lesson ("An Associate Lost In Space Will Be An Associate Lost Forever"), it's not just about what firms want from associates, it's also what they want for them. Working wellness is a virtuous circle where you work well because you feel good, and you feel good because you work well. Creating this environment is a game changer for associates, and it carries over into how law firms monitor them. Firms who care about the associate experience understand that monitoring isn't a one and done event. It's ongoing, and it calls for a working wellness plan.