Workplace Insights Report 2027

Based on research with 200 business leaders and 1,000 office workers, the Spaceful Workplace Insights Report 2027 examines what makes workplace time valuable, what gets in the way and how organisations can make better workplace and property decisions.

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Presence with Purpose

Attendance may bring people into the office, but it does not automatically improve productivity, collaboration or culture.

The Spaceful Workplace Insights Report 2027 looks beyond how often people come in to explore what makes workplace time valuable, what gets in the way and how organisations can make better workplace and property decisions.

It examines the role of the office in collaboration, focus, human connection, AI-enabled work, property decisions and workplace measurement.

 

Presence with Purpose

What the research reveals

The research points to a more demanding workplace brief. Organisations need to make office time purposeful, support the human work people come together for, balance collaboration with focus and adaptability, and use clearer evidence to guide property, design and investment decisions.

01. Attendance needs to deliver value
01. Attendance needs to deliver value
More office time does not automatically create more value. C-suite leaders are encouraging or requiring attendance to improve productivity, collaboration and culture, but employees do not always experience office days as clearly purposeful. Attendance needs planning at a team level: why people are coming in, who they need to work with and how managers turn policy into useful patterns.
02. The office is most valuable for human work
02. The office is most valuable for human work
The office has its clearest role when work depends on others. Employees identify collaboration, relationship-building, problem-solving and decision-making as activities the office supports best. But value depends on the right people being there and removing friction, including noise, lack of quiet space and absent teams. Office days should be designed around interaction, while protecting productivity.
03. The workplace brief now has to do more
03. The workplace brief now has to do more
A useful workplace day involves more than collaboration. Employees need desks, focus spaces, meeting rooms, collaboration areas and informal settings, and those needs differ across generations. AI, digital tools and changing work patterns add complexity, increasing the need for spaces that support interpretation, alignment, learning, concentration, technology-enabled discussion and privacy. Brief for variety and adaptability, not one universal workplace model.
04. Measure what the workplace delivers

Workplace success is being measured beyond occupancy and property cost, with productivity, employee satisfaction, engagement and collaboration quality now part of the picture. But regular employee feedback is limited, and major decisions about location, footprint, cost and design need stronger evidence earlier.

05. The best workplace projects start before the lease expires

Lease expiry remains the most common trigger for a workplace review, but the reasons behind workplace decisions are broader than timing alone. Growth, workplace experience, attendance, building quality, amenities and location are all prompting organisations to reassess whether their current workplace is still fit for purpose. The best outcomes come when organisations start early, test options properly and connect strategy, design, cost and delivery before major commitments are made.

The data behind the shift

These selected findings show how workplace decisions are being shaped in 2027. Use these graphs as a snapshot of the research, then download the full report for the complete analysis.
Business challenges facing C-suite

Business challenges facing C-suite
Preferred work models

Preferred work models
Workplace satisfaction vs job satisfaction

Workplace satisfaction vs job satisfaction
What employees need from the workplace

What employees need from the workplace
What makes workplace days worthwhile

What makes workplace days worthwhile

Turn workplace insight into action

The report points to a clear shift: workplace decisions are no longer just about attendance, footprint or cost. They need to consider how people work, what the current environment is limiting and how future workplace investment can deliver measurable value.

Visit the Spaceful Workplace Hub to explore tools and resources that help answer the following four critical questions before your next workplace decision.

  • How many people do we really need to accommodate?
  • What work activities must our workplace support?
  • How much space do we actually need?
  • How do we ensure the workplace delivers measurable business outcomes?

What do the findings mean for you?

Speak with Ben Churchman

What do the findings mean for you?

Speak with Ben Churchman
Principal, Client Relations

Discuss how the report insights could apply to your workplace strategy, footprint or next property decision.

What do the findings mean for you?

Speak with Ben Churchman
Principal, Client Relations

Discuss how the report insights could apply to your workplace strategy, footprint or next property decision.

Name(Required)