The Conveyancing Foundation, which supports the conveyancing industry, says an ‘unprecedented number’ of conveyancers left the industry last year due to the level of pressure they were under, providing a wake-up call to the industry to put wellbeing first.
Lloyd Davies, Conveyancing Foundation Chairman, said the Foundation’s “Be Kind We Care” initiative which was launched in 2021 to provide practical resources and advice to those under pressure “was born out of a cry of empathy with conveyancers and others in the industry being abused by frustrated clients and fellow professionals whilst working under extreme circumstances – often with more work than normal and in isolation – at home without the immediate support of their colleagues”.
He explained: “The conveyancing industry experienced a tumultuous year in 2021 with quarterly SDLT or Christmas deadlines, staff having to work from home and often with increased caseloads and dealing with increasing numbers of frustrated clients and fellow professionals. An unprecedented number of conveyancers found themselves no longer able to cope and leaving the industry or looking for different roles.”
Mr Davies, also Managing Director of conveyancing practice Convey Law, said the company had recruited 20 experienced conveyancers into its Title Checking team last year, preventing them from leaving the industry altogether.
He comments: “Thankfully, we saved a few excellent conveyancers with a world of experience from leaving the industry altogether...but how many left altogether last year? Many of my colleagues in the industry, who are leaders within their respective legal practices, have expressed concerns that they experienced an unprecedented number or leaving the industry or retiring over the last 18 months.
“Conveyancing is high paced and can be stressful at times and individuals with underlying anxiety or other issues tend to suffer the most during stressful times. As business leaders, managers and conveyancers, we are not trained to help these individuals and if they don’t get help they often don’t perform well and worse, they become ill and leave!!”
He added: “We soon realised that we needed to broaden our approach and define and share best practices in looking after staff wellbeing during these unprecedented times.”
Reflecting on what the Conveyancing Foundation had done to help the industry in 2021, he said: “We teamed up with LawCare, Agents Together and the Mindstep Foundation charities to produce a Wellbeing HUB on the Conveyancing Foundation charity website, with webinars and best practice advice.
“This year, we hope to raise the bar and maintain the momentum with further webinars and great practice advice. Be Kind We Care is also the chosen charity initiative for the British Conveyancing Awards at their gala dinner in March 2022.
“The support from industry, especially the Society of Licensed Conveyancers and the Conveyancing Association, in asking us to take part or recommend wellbeing experts to them for their events as well as assisting with charity fundraising – we raised over £6000 at the CA Conference Dinner in 2021 – has been fantastic and long may it continue. We need as much exposure and input as possible on these issues.
Mr Davies said it was also vital for conveyancing practices, who undoubtedly had done extremely well financially during the last year to recognise and reward staff.
He said: “At Convey, like most conveyancing practices, we had one of the best years on record financially last year. So, we ended the year with a massive round of bonuses and Christmas gifts for our staff and we even managed to squeeze in a Christmas party for 100 of us before the pandemic took hold once again.
“Saying thank you and being grateful for the sacrifices of those that we work with is integral to any wellbeing programme and I am sure that all conveyancing practices will be as generous as possible with salary increases and other incentives at the start of this year.
“Saying well done to those that you work with is also critical to wellbeing. Not being congratulated for your hard work and endeavours can be difficult for people, especially youngsters – and it is unnecessary. If your team do well – celebrate their success – it is endemic and nothing could be better for their sense of achievement and wellbeing.”
He said his own company was reviewing its wellbeing programme and had asked staff through a confidential online survey to feed back what was important to them. It had also introduced complimentary in house counselling services which had been well-used, adding: “Good mental health and wellbeing is so important for us all.”
