UK Employee Benefits for the Legal Sector

Howden Employee Benefits & Wellbeing, in partnership with People in Law, has published new research into how the employee benefits and wellbeing landscape is evolving within the UK legal sector to address key recruitment and HR challenges. The comprehensive study includes insights from prominent UK law firms, reflecting a range of firm sizes.

The nature of work has changed dramatically over the past few years. Organizations understand the need to support partners and employees in all aspects of their lives, not just during working hours. All of the firms who took part in this Howden UK survey offered some form of working flexibility, with 93% saying they offered hybrid working and the remaining 7% operating a fully flexible approach. None of the firms said that they required people in the office 5 days a week. This shows just how far the sector has come in a short space of time. It also demonstrates that partner and employee wellbeing is a key priority now and all indications are it will continue to be so in the future.

This research reveals that the legal sector offers very comprehensive benefits packages, with 96% providing life assurance, 94% providing PMI, and 87% providing income protection. While this level of coverage ensures strong protection for employees, it also means that among the largest London-based firms, the main differentiation is not which benefit is available, it’s more the level of benefit offered to each employee.

Wellbeing and Mental Health at the Forefront

The report highlights a shift in the legal sector, with mental health and wellbeing taking center stage. The survey identified heightened anxiety among employees, mainly linked to concerns about long working hours and heavy workloads. Notably, 84% of surveyed firms either have an established wellbeing strategy or plan to implement one within the next 12 months.

Diverse wellbeing challenges emerged for distinct age groups, with employees managing caring responsibilities and struggling to balance home and work life. Younger employees expressed anxiety about mentoring opportunities and a perceived lack of peer support, with 30% more likely to be concerned about career progression.

For firms without a wellbeing strategy, financial education and wellbeing initiatives are key priorities, especially given the ongoing impact of the cost of living. A noteworthy 51% of firms with a defined wellbeing budget emphasize their commitment to employee wellbeing.