Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, Named Top Remote Workplace

Since the pandemic began in early 2020, the way we work and live has shifted. The culture at Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, has shifted too. The firm was once powered by a team of people local to Parkersburg, WV, but all that changed when our workforce went remote at the beginning of COVID. Our leadership team, along with Culture Director Mary-Michael McClung, developed a plan to support a remote workforce – and the results have been amazing.

In fact, we’ve been recognized as a Top Workplace for Remote Work in 2023! We could not be more proud of this honor and the work we do to ensure our clients and our team members feel supported.

The Shift to Remote Work

In early 2020, most companies had to shift to remote work, and Jan Dils was no exception. Luckily, we already had a good infrastructure set up. Every team member was given a laptop and encouraged to find a quiet place within their homes to work. Because we had a great firm culture of collaboration and transparency, our team was able to transition without much trouble.

Clear Goals and Communication Are Key to Success

One big reason why Jan Dils is successful in letting people work from home is that we set clear goals for each team and each role. Each position has measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with clear guidelines for how to reach targets. This means each team member knew exactly what success looks like for them.

As we settled in to working remotely, strong communication became more important than ever. We set a schedule to ensure each team member met with their leader at least twice per month in a one-on-one setting. To stay connected, we began holding team meetings daily, which added structure to support our whole team no matter where each person was working from. It also makes it easy to build and maintain relationships. “Fun Fridays” became tradition for our Friday meetings – we do activities that foster connection and give us the chance to laugh together. For training, we built a comprehensive program that is entirely online through videos, presentations, and quizzes. This way, everyone gets the same information, and folks can brush up on topics when they need to.

Helping Each Other Grow Remotely

Working in an office, there are lots of chances to meet and mingle with your coworkers in the hallways or the lunchroom. We knew we needed a way for team members to learn from each other even when everyone wasn’t in one place. That’s why we developed our mentorship program, where new team members are assigned to an established person who can help them succeed. We also started monthly New Hire Meet and Greet calls, to introduce new team members to leadership. It strengthened our relationships and helped every new person find their place.

Another way we help team members connect is through Zoom chats and interest groups. We formed groups around things like gardening, cooking, gaming – there’s even one for team members who love true crime. Each group is lead by a team member that has a passion, and open to anyone in the firm. It’s a great way to get to know people you might not work with every day. Each group also has a Zoom chat for members to connect, share stories, and even send memes. Beyond the interest group chats, we also have a Good News chat where anyone from the firm can share their wins.

About Top Workplaces

The Top Workplaces employer recognition program has a 17-year history of researching, surveying, and celebrating people-first organizations nationally and across 65 regional markets.

The 2024 Top Workplaces for Remote Work award celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees cultivating exceptional remote working environments. Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, earned the award based on employee feedback. Results of a confidential employee engagement survey were evaluated by comparing responses to research-based statements that predict high performance against industry benchmarks.

“Top Workplaces awards are a powerful tool for companies to attract exceptional talent,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “They showcase distinctive culture strengths and communicate a clear message to potential recruits: This is a place where you can thrive and excel.”

“These awards underscore the importance of listening to employees about where and when they can be their most productive and happiest selves,” shares Monster CEO Scott Gutz. “We know that this flexibility is essential to helping both employers and candidates find the right fit.”

We’ve put a lot of energy into keeping our culture strong and healthy through the transition to remote work. That’s why it’s so exciting for us to be recognized as a Top Remote Workplace! Each team member plays a part in our success, and we are so proud of the way our team has adapted. We can’t wait to see what 2024 brings!