Pittsburgh law office design poised to see short-term & long-term changes

Even on the brink of a COVID-19 vaccination, many commercial building owners and occupiers are questioning whether some businesses will actually return to the office. Over the last ten months, most local firms shirked the traditional 8-to-5, in-office work style for a fully remote experience.

While the shift was meant to be temporary until health and safety guidelines lifted, companies across sectors realized that working from home was not only functional, but some employees even increased productivity thanks to increased flexibility, limited office distractions and no commutes.

Does this signify the end of the office? Far from it. In reality, offices will always be invaluable hubs of company culture, team collaboration, problem-solving and career development. A JLL survey of 3,000 office users revealed that 44% of respondents ranked “human interaction and socializing with coworkers” as the most missed benefit of going into the office, followed closely by accessibility to a professional environment and collective face-to-face work.

Bringing employees back to the office is also crucial for attracting and retaining top talent, as well as maintaining a positive company culture.

The future of the office is all about designing space with purpose—for better human interaction, more focus on employee needs and zero wasted space.

So, what does that mean for law firms in Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh’s savvy law firms can capitalize on economic opportunities

Many firms are putting real estate decisions on hold until the market demonstrates greater stability. However, those that can make decisions now—whether negotiating renewals, asking for extensions or even buying or leasing new space—will be at an economic advantage as landlords seek their next deal in a difficult market.

That said, some organizations are seeking creative solutions in the short term that bring safe numbers of people together for productivity without the investment of a new downtown headquarters. Options include satellite offices in locations nearer large concentrations of employees to reduce commute times, regional hubs and flexible and remote work options.

Since COVID, employees’ shifting priorities are influencing these new investments: Thirty-one percent of employees in a recent survey reported that a new priority since the start of the pandemic is commuting less while working locally. Furthermore, the two top tasks employees think are better done in the office are having meetings and engaging with management or managing a team.

Understanding and making decisions based on these employee preferences can guide firm leadership to make real estate decisions that are economically sound from both the space investment and employee retention standpoints—both costly angles to ignore.

The traditional office design—and function—will change

For firms that are planning redesigns or new spaces, the final product may be different than what you’re used to seeing in the law sector’s standard corporate space. Over the last decade, many offices shifted away from individual offices and cubes with high partitions to denser, open floor plans where the need for collaboration drove design.

However, the social distancing requirements and heightened focus on health and safety measures that came with COVID-19 have many companies looking instead to de-densification, greater square footage per person and accommodating a hybrid workforce.

One example of purposeful design is the new Pittsburgh office of Perkins Eastman, an architecture firm that pivoted at the outset of the pandemic to focus on flexibility, a smaller—but smarter—footprint, a reflection of the “hub and spoke” workplace model and adaptable space planning guidelines.

The result?

“The new office is a reimagined hub, supporting collaboration, mentorship, and culture-building that cannot be realized from the comfort of home,” said Jeff Young, AIA, Co-Managing Principal of the Pittsburgh studio and a leader in the firm’s workplace and commercial practice areas.

Firms should expect to see and implement more features that accommodate hybrid teams or rotational scheduling. For example, there will be less of a need for dedicated individual desks since many employees will maintain a work-from-home presence at least part of the time. Instead, there will be more focus on spaces that are used for face-to-face team collaboration and client meetings: pods, training and conference facilities, white-board rooms and other features that spur and enhance dialogue and ideation among teams.

Tenant demands will focus on safety and experience

While perks like lounges, cafes and event space will remain popular, many companies are now focusing on amenities that restore confidence in returning to the office.

To accomplish that, landlords are looking into upgrades like efficient HVAC systems (including those with UV light cleaning systems), expansive outdoor space and touchless technology on doors, faucets and other shared surfaces.

Any upgrade that makes a building safer and healthier will be prioritized by tenants.

Although law firms across Pittsburgh have become accustomed to a fully or partially remote setup through 2020, it’s not expected to stay that way. Client meeting needs, team collaboration requirements, mentoring junior associates and all of the company benefits that arise from a well-appointed office space will cement Pittsburgh’s law presence in the downtown and surrounding areas.

To learn more about what to expect in the workplace post-COVID-19, download the JLL report, The Future of Global Office Demand.