In this work-at-home time, our law firm in Amsterdam largely empty. We now perform our office job not from our office building, but our living room, attic or bedroom. We are suddenly performing an attic job. Aside from practical inconveniences, our work can seemingly go on as usual. Ostensibly.
The attic job brings to the surface why we became personal injury lawyers. Obviously because we want victims of occupational diseases and medical errors justice. But also - and perhaps above all - we choose our profession and office because of the clients for whom we may do that (too many to mention!) and the colleagues with whom we may do the job (like my colleague Marjo!).
Desk job
We thought we had a desk job at the beginning of the year; we really do now. We are glued to our desks. We no longer leave the front door for work, and no one comes to our kitchen table for a kitchen table discussion. From the attic, it becomes clear what phoning and Skyping really is: a slapshot of reality.
Therefore, if in these times people complain about anything, it is the lack of real encounters with our colleagues and clients. Consulting with colleagues via Teams gives less energy than when you see each other. And how do you say goodbye to a client over the phone after years of contact?
You don't know what you're missing until it's not there....
People's Work
Speaking of goodbyes, I only manage to say goodbye to clients sparingly. Because of the bond I build with a client during years of working together, someone always remains present in the background of my thoughts. I still regularly think of the client who wanted to have a beautiful garden made from her damages: did that really happen? Or to the asbestos victim: how is his family doing? When I walk past an Amsterdam museum, I think of the client who works there.
As real contact dilutes during this period, it becomes clear to me that I do not have a desk job that I fulfill for people, but that I do people work from behind my desk. So today I say goodbye to my desk job - a dog job, it turns out.
I have a wonderful job, real people work.
If you have questions about this blog, please contact the author, Christa Wijnakker.