Almost two-thirds of enormous European workplace occupiers count on to relocate a few of their operations over the following three years, as organisations search higher high quality workplaces whereas changing into more and more reluctant to pay a premium for them. In response to CBRE’s 2026 European Workplace Occupier Sentiment Survey, 65 % of respondents are planning relocations. 9 in ten say they might reject workplaces that don’t present the facilities they require, but the proportion prepared to pay further for these facilities has fallen from 54 % final 12 months to 48 %.
The findings level to a rising stress within the workplace market. Employers are putting higher emphasis on the standard, flexibility and performance of their workplaces, whereas persevering with to scrutinise property prices and the quantity of house they occupy. That is additionally altering the sorts of workplaces organisations are on the lookout for. Virtually half (48 %) of respondents count on to want extra multipurpose and reconfigurable house, 43 % anticipate higher demand for specialist services akin to AI labs and 38 % count on to extend their use of versatile workspace.
AI itself could have a big impact on future workplace necessities. Simply over half of respondents consider the expertise will ultimately cut back each headcount and the quantity of house their organisations want. Nevertheless, its impression can also improve demand for extra specialised workplaces as the character of jobs and the actions carried out in workplaces change.
Sustainability stays one other issue shaping property choices. Some 45 % of respondents are focusing on internet zero by 2030, up from 37 % in 2024.
The issue for occupiers is that the availability of workplaces able to satisfying these numerous calls for could also be tightening. CBRE forecasts that buildings lower than 5 years previous will make up simply 6.8 % of European workplace inventory by 2028, the bottom proportion for greater than a decade.
AI companies are including to demand for the sort of house. They at present account for round 3 % of European workplace take-up and have a tendency to favour high-quality buildings in central places. Anna Esteban, CBRE’s head of leasing and occupier accounts for Europe, argues that organisations could finally occupy much less house however might be extra selective about what they preserve, notably as they search workplaces that may entice workers and provide a greater expertise.
CBRE additionally expects this to encourage higher use of versatile workspace, permitting organisations to entry higher-quality workplaces with out the identical stage of upfront capital dedication. Mark Cartlich, CBRE’s head of European occupational market analysis, says the tendencies threat making a mismatch between the workplaces organisations more and more need and the inventory out there to them, probably intensifying competitors for prime house.
The survey relies on responses from greater than 90 European workplace occupiers, which means its findings are higher learn as a sign of sentiment amongst main occupiers than as an image of the European workplace market as an entire.
