Workplace Culture in the Everyday: Real, Simple, Priory Law Team Habits
By Amy Goodman, Head of Client Services, Priory Law
People ask me a lot what our workplace culture is actually like at Priory Law.. Here's the honest answer. We take wellbeing seriously enough that it doesn't come down to two or three big policies handed down from the top. It shows up everywhere, in a lot of small, easy things that everyone actually joins in with, not because they're told to, but because they want to.
Part of my job is making sure clients, and professional partners get a clear, thoughtful experience from the very first conversation. That only happens if the people delivering it feel properly looked after themselves.
We've got a Kudos Board where anyone can write down when a colleague's done something well, no process, no sign-off, just a place to notice each other. It's covered in handwriting, and nobody's ever had to be told to use it.
We ran a hydration challenge over summer that Summer somehow always wins, and last year we made it a buddy challenge too, so you weren't just topping up your own bottle, you were nagging someone else to top up theirs.
There were walk and talk lunch breaks whenever the weather allowed, and a summer party with a fabulous BBQ, bouncy castle, bubbles and sport day games. Culture here isn't something we just talk about, it's built into how the firm actually runs. We've got a proper Buddy System, pairing people up so nobody's ever quietly figuring things out alone, and I'll admit a bit of bias, Ryan and I were the first ever Buddy Pair winners, recognised for the time we put into looking after each other.
Then there's the stuff that's just for fun our book club, now on its second read, though we're swapping it for a true crime podcast club this October because it felt right for spookier evenings.
As September and October roll on, we're keeping that going. In September, it's a picnic outside the office if the weather holds, or a takeaway and a film together if it doesn't, alongside real-life kudos notes and making more use of The Nook for catching up with a buddy or just a proper break from a screen. October brings a games night with board or card games and food from home, pumpkin painting with the option of a ready-made pumpkin mug this year, the switch to podcast club, and kudos carrying on right through the season
Why the small stuff actually matters
None of it replaces good management, proper training or genuinely listening to people. But it creates the conditions where we all feel noticed. It helps someone new feel included. It gives people permission to actually take a break. It builds a habit of recognising each other, not just when something big happens, but when someone's been quietly kind or helpful on an ordinary Tuesday.
If you run a team and you're wondering where to start, my honest advice is not to overthink it. Pick something that feels easy to join rather than forced. Ask people what they'd actually enjoy rather than guessing. Give recognition in the moment rather than saving it for a review. Keep it simple enough to actually happen.
Our workplace culture shows up in how we treat each other, not just clients
Our values are Transparent, Innovative, Passionate and Caring, and they're not just for how we treat clients. Being transparent means a colleague gets a straight answer, not a diplomatic one. It's harder to be innovative if nobody feels able to say a better way exists. Passion is what turns something as small as a hydration challenge into a proper team obsession rather than a box-ticked wellbeing gesture, and it's easy to miss when someone's struggling if caring isn't actually built into how the day runs.
“The small things aren't separate from good performance, they build it. Priory Law shows what great looks like in practice consistently, not just with occasional sporadic gestures.”
Amy Blick, Founder of exhilHRate, Chartered Fellow CIPD
Our current staff retention sits at 90% and average length of service is now just over three years. I don't think that's a coincidence. A workplace culture where people feel genuinely looked after builds more patience, more confidence and more care for the clients and professional partners they're supporting, which in conveyancing, where reassurance matters as much as the paperwork, makes a real difference.
As Priory Law grows, protecting this is one of the things I care about most. Growth is exciting, but it needs looking after too. We want new people to feel welcomed properly, not just processed. We want the people already here to feel like there's a future in it, not just a job.
It's just a lot of small, easy things that add up to a team that actually likes turning up for each other, not just for the work.
We understand it's personal, and that's just as true of how we treat each other as it is of how we treat our clients.
About the author – Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman is Head of Client Services at Priory Law, promoted internally after building the client experience function from the ground up. She is a key point of contact for many clients throughout their transaction and works closely with the whole team to make sure communication never falls through the gaps.
About Priory Law
Priory Law is a specialist residential conveyancing firm acting for clients across England and Wales. Regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC Licence Number 12134), the firm offers a structured, transparent and personal alternative to high-volume conveyancing.
Every transaction is handled by a dedicated conveyancer, with clear communication and a process designed to stay in control from instruction to completion.