What is the Corporate Flex Demand? – Colliers (CWE23)

This 2023 Colliers conference deck examined why corporate occupiers used flexible workspace, how operators should prepare for corporate requirements, and where companies had adopted flex solutions. It grouped occupier demand into four broad areas: financial considerations, agility, operational simplicity and employee experience. Financial motives included converting capital expenditure to operating expenditure, reducing liabilities and limiting the cost of excess space. Agility covered rapid access to workspace, flexible contract terms, the ability to expand or contract, and opportunities to trial hybrid working structures. The presentation described operational simplicity through outsourced provision, single invoicing and reduced internal management. It linked employee experience to access to better-quality buildings, improved amenities and facilities, and higher service levels. The deck’s agenda indicated that operators’ preparation for corporate demand formed a separate part of the discussion. A case study concerned SAP in Paris and the use of flexible workspace to address excess space; its stated drivers were financial considerations, employee experience and agility. The slides did not identify the individual presenter or provide quantitative market findings.

Key findings

• The deck identified financial considerations, agility, operational simplicity and employee experience as reasons for corporate use of flex space.
• Financial benefits included converting capital expenditure to operating expenditure, reducing liability and limiting the cost of excess space.
• A SAP case study in Paris addressed excess space and cited financial factors, employee experience and agility as key drivers.

Presented at Coworking Europe 2023