The global shift towards hybrid working models is changing the requirements for office space in the long term. According to the latest study “Adaptive Spaces – 2026 CBRE Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights” by global real estate services provider CBRE, average office occupancy has increased significantly worldwide: Office occupancy is now at 53 percent – the highest value since March 2020 and a significant jump from 38 percent in 2024. This means that usage is once again approaching the target level of many companies, the majority of which are aiming for an occupancy rate of over 65 percent. The entire study can be found here. on the CBRE website.
The peak occupancy rate also continues to rise and is now at an average of 80 percent. This indicates that companies are increasingly managing to bring employees into the office specifically for collaborative formats and teamwork. Another indicator of structural change: The global occupancy rate is 111 percent – this means that more employees are assigned to a location than there are physical workplaces. Hybrid work enables this development through rotation models and flexible attendance planning. “Companies must plan office occupancy and allocation well. This is because peak days can lead to overloads – and thus to decreasing comfort or limited productivity,” says Dr. Jan Linsin, Head of Research at CBRE in Germany. Against this background, the space management of many companies is changing: Desk sharing is now standard. Around 69 percent of the companies surveyed say that more than 40 percent of their workforce share jobs. The majority relies on a moderate ratio of between 1.01 and 1.49 people per job. Work policies are also becoming clearer: 96 percent of organizations now have a defined office policy, with “at least three days a week in the office” being the most common standard at 66 percent. However, one area of tension remains striking: 70 percent of companies state that employees are in the office less often than managers expect or specify.
At the same time, many corporate real estate teams expect further consolidation of their portfolios: 57 percent expect a reduction in space in the next three years. According to the study, the main reason is the lower demand for space as a result of hybrid working models (67 percent).
“More and more companies are recognizing the paradigm shift in the use of office space. These are no longer optimized according to square meters and number of heads, but according to actual use and demand. This makes data-based management and flexible concepts the decisive success factor for balancing an attractive and productive office and avoiding unnecessary costs,” says Stephan Leimbach, Head of Occupier Accounts & Consulting Germany.
