Companies are increasingly relying on data-based decisions in their workplace strategy. According to a recent study by CBRE*, 80 percent of companies pursue the main goal of optimizing their real estate portfolios with their corporate real estate (CRE) technology strategy. 70 percent want to improve the accuracy of their space data, while 61 percent want to specifically strengthen the workplace experience of employees.
The results show that technological maturity in companies is continuously increasing. Already 82 percent of the organizations surveyed today have at least a medium level of maturity in the use of workplace technologies. At the same time, the number of companies with a very high level of maturity is growing: three percent now reach the highest level of technology integration – in the previous year, this figure was still zero percent.
“Companies are increasingly recognizing that high-quality data forms the basis for better decisions around space, use and workplace design. In the future, the quality of the data will be decisive for the efficiency of office portfolios,” says Jan Linsin, Head of Research at CBRE in Germany.
This change is particularly evident in the use of data feeds. Today, 94 percent of companies integrate automated data sources into their space management systems. Most often, these come from HR systems (86 percent), giving companies detailed insights into employee structures, functions, and locations.
The further processing of this data is also becoming increasingly important. 91 percent of companies now have so-called outbound data feeds. The use of data warehouses, data lakes and web-based dashboards is growing particularly significantly: 54 percent are already using them – after 42 percent in the previous year. Companies are thus creating the basis for more comprehensive analyses and data-driven management of their real estate portfolios.
At the same time, however, the study also shows deficits in the technological support of hybrid work models. For example, 48 percent of companies do not use digital tools to record and control office attendance. This proportion is even growing. In 2024, it was only 39 percent.
“It is astonishing that almost one in two companies does not use any technology to track when and how often employees come to the office – and that this proportion is even growing. Without such data, however, any space optimization ultimately remains rates instead of taxes,” says Stephan Leimbach, Head of Occupier Accounts & Consulting Germany at CBRE.
Reservation systems for workplaces and meeting rooms, on the other hand, are now widespread. 77 percent of companies use corresponding solutions. Microsoft Outlook is used most frequently (46 percent). Functions such as check-in and check-out systems for meeting rooms (70 percent) and analyses of room occupancy (50 percent) are particularly relevant. These provide valuable insights into actual usage patterns and support companies in optimizing their office space.
The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) also remains stable: 76 percent of companies use corresponding digital building models – especially in facility management (55 percent). BIM enables more efficient management and maintenance of real estate throughout its lifecycle.
* The 2026 Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights are based on five years of benchmarking data and sentiment analysis on the evolution of office workspaces since 2021. The study evaluates global data from selected CBRE clients, who together represent office space totalling 28 million square metres, with an average portfolio size of around 465,000 square metres.
The evaluation provides insights differentiated by portfolio size, industry and region or geographical market.
