Growth of flexible office space is an irreversible trend

The demand for flexible office space is growing strongly and is a lasting trend. Over the past decade, the global market for flexible office space has grown by an average of 13% per year. This development also applies to the Netherlands, especially in the big cities. This is evident from international research by real estate advisor CBRE. Flexible offices are offices where companies can rent one or a limited number of workplaces under flexible conditions. Examples of flexible offices are Weworks, Spaces and Tribes. Major European cities such as Berlin, Paris and London saw strong growth between 2016 and 2017. The demand for flexible office concepts is also increasing in the Netherlands, especially in cities such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague. For example, an average of 34,000 m² of new flexible office space was added in Amsterdam over the past five years. In 2017, Amsterdam recorded 42,000 m² of flexible office space. Flexible offices enable large companies to create a 'flexible shell' in the housing of their employees. This allows them to respond more quickly to changing market conditions. In addition, flexible offices are often of high quality and often cheaper because the space is used more efficiently. The research also shows that new technological applications, such as cloud computing and video calls, are also reasons for the growth of flexible concepts. Economic trends, such as the increase in the number of self-employed people and small businesses, are also an important factor.