Before starting my own practice around a year ago, I worked at a number of law firms. Partners at each of those shops told associates that they were amenable to feedback, and many related that they had an open-door policy if employees ever wanted to raise concerns or make suggestions. Of course, associates were usually nervous to provide feedback, and few people took advantage of open-door policies. Partners and pretty much everyone else often have a hard time accepting constructive criticism, and associates usually just kept their mouths shut rather than offer suggestions.
However, a few years ago, I was having dinner with a bunch of a attorneys after a deposition, and some of my colleagues told me about a unique initiative that was started at one firm to solicit feedback. Several of the attorneys at the dinner worked at a firm in my area that was infamous for having high turnover and low morale among associates. During the course of the dinner, many of the lawyers who had worked at this firm spent a substantial amount of time discussing well-known gripes about their former employer, many of which I had heard before.
However, my ears pricked up when a former attorney at this firm told me about a program that had been instituted while he worked there. The human resources person at the firm had set up an honesty box so that associates and other employees could give feedback to firm management anonymously. I immediately thought of an old Facebook app of the same name that people used in college to leave anonymous comments for their Facebook friends, which I always thought was a cool idea. I think the system set up by this firm was also internet-based, and firm management purportedly had no way of knowing who made the comments. I guess this idea was inspired by suggestion boxes that people might see at retail establishments, or that was at the center of an episode of The Office.
From speaking to associates who worked at this firm, it seems that reactions to the honestly box were mixed. Many of the attorneys at this firm did not think that the honestly box was truly anonymous, so a number of people did not even bother to submit feedback. Since there was so much turnover at the firm, many associates also did not care enough to submit suggestions that could improve it.
However, some people expressed gratitude that an honesty box program had been implemented. One attorney mentioned that the honesty box boosted morale around the office, since it showed that management cared about improving conditions at that firm. In addition, one associate told me he suggested that the firm implement a new employee benefits program, and soon thereafter, the firm decided to adopt that initiative. Judging from the comments of my colleagues, it was hard to tell if the honesty box provided substantial benefits, but the idea of this program intrigued me.
During the attorney review process at the firm at which I worked at the time, I decided to bring up the idea of an honesty box. There were many issues associates wanted partners to address, but most attorneys were afraid to make suggestions to management. Although partners professed to have an open-door policy, associates who made suggestions at meetings or in private were usually criticized and talked down to. One time, associates were even too afraid to tell management that the IRS had upped the mileage reimbursement amount! Because of the environment, no one wanted to make suggestions to management without anonymity.
My only suggestion to the firm when I was asked for feedback was that our shop should institute an honesty box program like the other firm had done. Predictably, firm management never took the proposal seriously. The partner I discussed the matter with told me that partners and associates had a good relationship at the firm, and doors were always open for feedback and comments. In addition, the partner thought that conditions were pretty good at the firm and that there would be no need for an honesty box to facilitate better feedback.
However, it is human nature to dislike people for making suggestions, and so long as associates feel they may face negative consequences from providing feedback, they will refuse to do so. In addition, even if associates did decide to use a firm’s open-door policy, it was rare that partners could have a long, substantive talk, since people are busy and it is hard to devote bandwidth to suggestions. An honesty box solves those issues, and the firm at which I worked could have greatly benefited from the idea.
Of course, honestly boxes are kind of a nontraditional proposal to consider, and firms definitely need to think outside the box (get it?) if they want to establish and promote an honesty box program. However, partners can realize a number of benefits from having an honesty box, since associates will be more likely to provide frank and helpful comments if they are able to convey feedback anonymously.
Jordan Rothman is a partner of The Rothman Law Firm, a full-service New York and New Jersey law firm. He is also the founder of Student Debt Diaries, a website discussing how he paid off his student loans. You can reach Jordan through email at jordan@rothmanlawyer.com.