The challenge for all businesses to be able to attract and retain the best people they can is well known and much talked about. Many firms turn to their relatively low staff turnover or the number of applicants to their recruitment initiatives and conclude that all is well. But is this right?

Not infrequently we work with people on development programmes and workshops who, to put it charitably, are not exactly 'on fire' with enthusiasm for their job or their firm. Most of them are not doing a poor job but they are not performing anywhere near as well as they could be - meaning that both firm and lawyer suffer. They frequently feel stuck and undervalued in the role and would prefer to be doing something different – or differently. This is not where optimal performance or job satisfaction comes from. From the wider business perspective this also creates vulnerability; the risk of good people being poached by other firms - always a concern - becomes greater.
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What does it take to attract and retain good people who are committed and perform well? 

It's 7:30am, your household is busy with everyone getting ready for work and school when your five year old suddenly announces that he doesn't feel well and is promptly sick. He can't go to school today...

It's mid-morning, you're covering a client meeting for a colleague who's on holiday when the nursery calls to say your daughter has fallen off the slide and banged her head. She needs to be collected now...

These are familiar scenarios to many working parents and dreaded ones for others. In most cases it is still usually mum who will step in. Two-thirds of working mums and mums-to-be are concerned about what they would do if their child was ill. In our survey (Being a Mum and Having a Career WIKI/WILTKI) concerns around such situations were mentioned by over 60% of mums.