The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) published the results of its third member flash poll related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This poll focused on the state of the in-house community’s wellness and work habits in the three months since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic.
The survey showed in-house lawyers working overwhelmingly from home, and those who are, report that they are working more hours. While over thirty percent said they would rate their current level of burnout as “very high” or “high,” a large majority reported feeling positive about the work at their company.
“As businesses around the world struggled to adjust to the new challenges of COVID-19, corporate legal departments were at the forefront of those transitions,” said Tanya Khan, Vice President and Managing Director Association of Corporate Counsel Australia and Asia Pacific. “Members repeatedly shared with us how the stress of these responsibilities were impacting their wellbeing and overall mental health." The results from this flash poll provide some insights that COVID-19 is taking an emotional toll on the in-house community, but that they are also an incredibly optimistic and resilient group of professionals.
The poll found that 88.3 percent of in-house lawyers are currently working from home, while just under 10 percent have seen pay cuts, furloughs, or dismissal due to budget cuts. Of those working remotely, 53.4 percent are working longer hours than before. Between 40 and 50 percent of respondents reported feeling tired or low energy, experiencing anxiety, and trouble sleeping or concentrating as a result of the pandemic; 30.3 percent rated their level of burnout as “high” or “very high.”
In addition, 39.5 percent expressed alarm or concern about racial disparity during the pandemic.
Nevertheless, 83.3 percent of respondents rated their overall emotional state as “somewhat good,” “very good,” or “extremely good.” A similar number, 84.2 percent, expressed positive feelings for their work and company. Over half have attended a virtual cocktail party, and others reported attending online fitness classes, religious services, dinner parties, and meditation sessions as ways to relax and connect with others.