According to a new study from Urban Land Institute, workplace patterns are anticipated to undergo major changes over the next three to five years due to the ongoing pandemic.
The “Future of Work 2020: A global real estate players’ point of view” report found that 96% of the 555 real estate professional respondents believe remote working will be a permanent fixture.
In fact, respondents said that over half of employees will spend at least 40% of their time working remotely.
However, the survey found that most experts still see the office as a necessity, but it will look very different moving forward. This includes decreased occupancy, overall real estate footprint and an increased emphasis on health and wellness.
What this means for landlords and building owners is that demand for more flexibility will be on the rise. For instance, large companies looking to de-densify their main offices will look to coworking or flexible office spaces to disperse their workforce.
Additionally, organizations will seek out more flexible leases to provide some agility if they need scale up or down.
The report also found that over 90% of workers will want more access to online services, less of a commute and health-oriented office building moving forward.