CBRE’s Occupier Survey finds flex is the focus

CBRE recently surveyed companies across Europe to discover their views on real estate and their businesses.

Our report on the findings shows that corporate appetite for flexible space continues to grow. CBRE’s 2019 EMEA Occupier Survey found that the proportion of companies expecting to make significant use of flexible space over the next three years is 20% higher than those who currently do so.

CBRE recently surveyed companies across Europe to discover their views on real estate and their businesses.

The growth of flexible offices

Growing corporate appetite for flex space is one of the major features of this market cycle. In this survey, 32% of occupiers said they expect 20% of their portfolio to be in flex office space in three years’ time, with a further 13% saying flex space will comprise over 20% of their portfolio.

Our EMEA Occupier Survey also found that whilst cost reduction and addressing short term demand increases are still key factors, the use of flexible space as a way of attracting and retaining talent is key. A rising number of companies are also using flexible space as part of a wider attempt to experiment with different workplace and occupancy models.

Growth In Demand For Flex Space

This growth in demand for flexible space is being witnessed across sectors and business sizes, with large corporates increasingly considering flex as an important addition to their portfolios.

Occupiers are increasingly aware of the wide range of flexible space options available to them and plan to increase their use of flex across all types over the next three years (see figure 9). Flex space offers occupiers one solution to delivering the services and amenities that they are increasingly expected to provide, such as collaboration and social space, front-of-house services and employee services (such as dry cleaning and parcel delivery).

Types of Flex Space

We anticipate that hybrid solutions offering a balance of dedicated offices, meeting spaces and small co-working areas will prove increasingly popular.

If you’re interested in finding out more about flexible office space and would like to discuss your options, why not speak to one of our flex experts. We have a dedicated team with extensive industry experience and deep-rooted local networks offering flexible office solutions to suit your business needs.