COVID-19 Supercharges Workplace Transformation

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Executive Summary

This report provides heads of real estate, workplace experience and facilities management with an analysis of how real estate strategies and workplaces will change following the COVID-19 pandemic and associated economic recession. Verdantix research finds that existing real estate strategy drivers, such as occupant well-being and talent attraction, have risen in prominence since COVID-19. The pandemic has also accelerated real estate digitization programmes and existing real estate trends such as hybrid working models and space rationalization. This report highlights six actions for facility managers to prepare for the new workplace standard.
Firms Re-evaluate Real Estate And Digitization Strategies 
Firms Adopt A Range Of Measures To Manage Office Occupancy During The Pandemic
Corporate Offices Will Persist Despite Some Rethinking On Their Primary Purpose
Long Term Strategies Will Maintain A Focus On Talent Attraction And Building Resiliency
Space And Workplace Management Technologies Will Remain Key Enablers Of Workplace Strategies
Figure 1. Office Adaptions Due To COVID-19 
Figure 2. Push And Pull Factors Impacting Office Usage 
Figure 3. Expected Change In Office Footprints 
Figure 4. Real Estate Strategic Objectives Over The Next Three Years 
Figure 5. COVID-19 Effect On Commercial Real Estate Digitization Strategies Split By Firm Revenue 
Figure 6. Real Estate Executives’ Software Investments Intentions Driven By COVID-19 
Figure 7. Software Investment Plans By Industry 
Figure 8. Six Actions For Facility Managers 

About the Authors

Joy Trinquet

Joy Trinquet

Principal Analyst

Joy is a Principal Analyst at Verdantix, specializing in real estate, facilities and workplace technology, with a particular focus on integrated workplace management systems/c...

View Profile
Susan Clarke

Susan Clarke

Research Director

Susan leads the Verdantix Smart Buildings practice. Her current research agenda focuses on software solutions for real estate management including integrated workplace managem...

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