At the same time, small firms are more open to expansion, while mid-sized companies are adjusting their workplace and space strategies based on collaboration needs, shaping an office market that is increasingly polarized depending on company size.
Corporations are the most stable from a real estate perspective, with approximately 87% intending to keep their office footprint unchanged, the Colliers survey shows. In contrast, small firms are nearly twice as likely to consider expansion into other cities, reflecting greater flexibility.
This difference is also reflected in how companies view business performance. Nearly 68% of large organizations have a positive outlook on their own business, compared to around half of mid-sized companies, suggesting a higher level of stability among large players.
”The office space market is no longer evolving uniformly, but is becoming increasingly fragmented. Company size directly influences how decisions related to space, people, and technology are made. We are seeing a transition from a general hybrid work model to differentiated strategies, where the focus is increasingly shifting toward efficiency, adaptability, and employee experience”, explains Daniela Popescu, Director | Tenant Services & Workplace Advisory at Colliers.
At the same time, workforce plans indicate a cautious approach overall, but with important differences between segments. While nearly two-thirds of large companies estimate stability in employee numbers, only 40% of mid-sized firms indicate the same level of predictability, a sign that this segment remains more exposed to adjustments.
The way office spaces are used continues to vary significantly between companies. Over 40% of small firms say that at least 70% of their employees are present in the office on a typical day, while in the case of mid-sized and large companies this percentage is between 50% and 70%.
At the same time, office attendance policies are more commonly used by larger organizations: up to 30% of mid-sized companies and over 40%of large ones have introduced clear rules regarding physical presence, compared to only 12.5% of small firms, which continue to rely mainly on flexibility.
Technology adoption continues to grow, but mid-sized companies are the most active, with the use of artificial intelligence-based solutions exceeding 40%, a level comparable to or even slightly higher than that of large corporations. This segment appears to benefit from a balance between size and agility, allowing for faster implementation of new technologies, Colliers consultants note.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)