Reducing law office stress – What really works?
As you know, approximately six months ago New Zealand enacted the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) which focuses on identifying, minimising and eliminating risks associated with inherently high risk aspects of the workplace.
Unlike manufacturing and similar industry sectors that pose the risk of obvious physical injury, the practice of law involves less tangible but yet real risks.
In particular, stress is a chronic and ubiquitous risk for lawyers and non-lawyers in law ofces. Lawyers have high rates of depression, substance abuse, job dissatisfaction and general unhappiness. In fact, in many surveys lawyers rank among the least happy people professionally (and often personally as well).
Assuming the HSWA now requires workplaces to identify their high risks and respond proactively to lower those risks, this means law offices are now legally
required to identify causes of stress in the workplace and successfully address them. It’s no longer just a good thing to do. It’s non-optional and there could be unpleasant consequences for failing to do so.