Whilst by end of 2021, less than 20% of respondents had announced their remote working policies, this percentage has increased by 73% by year-end 2022. Remote working allowances continue to increase, but employers still struggle to bring employees back to the office. They look to offer more real estate flexibility and extend their recruitment strategies to reach new talent pools. ESG is on top of most organisations' agenda and we notice a significant push towards reducing the carbon footprint from commutes to the office via improving the facilities and services offered to tenants to encourage and promote the use soft mobility.
Strong consensus remains both from employers and employees on 2 to 3 days of remote working, with a slight trend toward more remote (2.4 days vs. 2.2 days). No major difference based on company size.
Across all business sectors, we find that employees return to the office for less than what is expected from their employers. There is still a struggle to bring employees back to the office.
The expected space reduction over the next 5 years remained constant at around 16-18% on average.
More than 54% of respondents (61% for medium and large companies) are adjusting and expanding their recruitment strategies to new geographies to tap into larger talent pools.
68% of respondents are providing access to co-working spaces to their employees (vs. 53% in 2021). The main reason is to reduce core office space or for ad-hoc meeting and event requirements.
Over 80% of respondents are planning to increase their investment in improving facilities and adding new services in an effort to promote soft modes of transports, and reduce the carbon footprint associated from employees' commutes.
We collected over 70 responses from small to large companies, representative of all business sectors, and occupying more than 13 million square meters of office space.
While only 17% of participants had announced their remote working policy last year, this number has now increased to 73% by year-end 2022.
The consensus on 2-3 days of hybrid working remains, with a slight increase toward more remote.
Remote working allowance pre-Covid vs. 2022 (days / week).
Average remote working allowance pre-Covid vs. 2022 (days / week).
Pre-Covid average office occupancy rate vs. 2022 average estimated return to office rate.
Share of respondents with desk sharing, pre-Covid vs. 2022.
Return to office rates remain low and across all business sectors lower than the expected return to office set by the employers.
Overview and key takeaways for all business sectors.
The estimated impact on real estate footprint, despite increased remote working allowance, remains stables between 2021 and 2022 at 16% on average, with no significant difference by company size.
Average remote working allowance pre-Covid vs. 2022(days / week).
Estimated space reduction within the next 5 years (%).
More than half of our respondents are adjusting and expanding their recruitment strategy to new geographies in order to reach new talent pools.
Co-working locations are mostly used to manage space overflow, ad-hoc meetings & events and to organize ad-hoc meetings as well as internal & external events.
52% to reduce core office space and use co-working / flexible space as an overflow.
52% to provide access to on-demand meeting space.
34% to replace traditional leases with co-working / flexible leases.
30% to provide space closer to new talent pools (new cities, new countries).
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20% to increase coverage in a given metropolitan area (city).
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