Abstract
Non-monetary incentives, such as flexible work schedules have been implemented by
business owners in hopes of improving performance, job satisfaction, and retention.
While flexible work programs have been welcomed by employees, they may create
unintended challenges within the organizational management structure, as managers of
these flexible working employees experience concerns about expectations, accountability,
oversight, and performance attainment. The current phenomenological research study
explored managing attorneys’ lived experiences with supervising attorney employees
working in a flexible work environment within the context of a California workers’
compensation defense law firm. Data gathered from open-ended semi-structured
interviews with managing attorneys demonstrated that most of the experiences shared by
the participants could be grouped into two themes of trust and technology with related
subthemes that provided further clarity. Based upon the shared lived experiences of
managing attorneys, the research supported the presentation of a proposed solution with
recommendations and best practices for establishing a formal flexible working policy,
providing managerial training, and investing in helpful technology tools.
Keywords: Flexible Working Programs, Managing Attorneys, Trust, Technology