Staff training is sorely neglected in family law practices. Most of the training is delivered as problems arise and issues get resolved. It’s traditional “on the job” training. It’s an inefficient process resulting in more mistakes than it should.

Bottom line – we don’t have the time we need to do the training we know is necessary. We need shortcuts.

Here are a few –

1. Online Training – Use Lynda.com for inexpensive, online training on Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. They have training for Quickbooks and a host of other products. They charge $25 per month, per user for unlimited use. You can join for a month or keep using it as long as you like.

2. Screen Capture – Answer every question by speaking in to a microphone and recording what’s happening on your screen. If it’s a computer question use your screen to walk through the answer. If it’s not a computer question then record the audio. Use a product like ScreenJelly (free) to record your answers of up to three minutes.

3. Create a manual – ask each employee to create a manual for their job. Ask new folks to review it with a newbies perspective and make corrections. Ideally, your manuals will be saved on a wiki so that everyone has easy access to the material

4. Hold training meetings. Ask someone else to prepare the materials and deliver a talk. Schedule the sessions months in advance and be religious about holding the meetings. Make sure the materials are added to the wiki.

5. Have Q&A sessions and record it on video. Do it over lunch. Invite everybody in the office. Edit the answers so that each one is in a separate file. Put those answers on the wiki as well.

Over time, these tips will result in a wiki filled with written material, audio recordings and videos explaining every aspect of your office. You’ll end up with everything from a video explaining how to change out a printer cartridge to written material on how to open and close the office each day. You’ll have explanations for how to serve pleadings and how to pay the bills with the accounting system.

Next thing you know you’ll be practicing law all day rather than explaining things to your staff.