Leesman's 2025 Focus Forward report sheds light on the changing ways of doing business after the pandemic, with data collected from nearly 1,600 workplaces and more than 400,000 employees worldwide. Three key topics stand out: the development of the hybrid working model, improving the employee experience and optimising real estate portfolios. In this article, we take a closer look at both the numerical data and the remarkable insights of the report.

Hybrid Working: The New Normal

Leesman’ın üst düzey yöneticilerle yaptığı ankete göre, şirketlerin %97’si çalışanlarının artık hibrit modelle çalıştığını belirtiyor. 2021’de %57 olan bu oran, 2024 sonunda %83’e ulaştı. Aynı dönemde, sadece ofiste çalışan oranı %9’dan %3’e geriledi.

The content of the hybrid model is also changing:

• Office 3 days a week: %48
• Office 2 days a week: %20
• Flexible models (e.g. 40% in the office during the month): %21
• The proportion of companies with an office obligation 5 days a week is only %4.

Ancak hibrit yapı yaygınlaştıkça, uygulamada bir yapılandırmaya gidildiği görülüyor. 2022 başında çalışanların ofise ne sıklıkla geleceğine dair kararı yerel ekipler verirken (%50), 2024 sonunda bu oran %39’a düşmüş, kararlar %57 oranında merkezi olarak alınmaya başlanmış.

Employee Experience: What We Offer, What is Expected?

In the post-pandemic period, the office experience score (Lmi) increased from 64.3 in 2019 to 69.5 in 2024. But the work-from-home experience score (H-Lmi) is still ahead at 79.5.

The 3 most important activities for employees:

1. Individual-orientated desk work (89%)
2. Planned meetings (74%)
3. Focused co-operation (58%)

The 3 most chosen purposes of the office for companies:

1. Cooperation and exchange of information (70%)
2. Creating pride and belonging to the organisation (43%)
3. Supporting creativity and innovation (37%)

The striking point here: Individual-orientated work, which employees need most, is hardly defined as the main purpose of the office (only 27 per cent).

In addition, some basic needs are still unmet in terms of satisfaction levels:

• Noise control: 35% satisfaction
• Quiet working areas: %40
• Temperature control: %41
• Proportion of employees dissatisfied with basic equipment such as chairs, tables and monitors: %25

This data plays a critical role in determining the answer to the question ‘why should I come to the office?’.

Property Portfolio: Reduce or Transform?

2024’ün sonunda yöneticilerin %74’ü, son 18 ayda ofis alanını azalttığını ya da azaltmayı planladığını belirtti.

• %21 → 25-50 per cent reduction
• %45 → made smaller reductions
• %11 → increased office space

But this wave is slowing down. According to plans for 2025:

• Those who want to increase office space: %12
• Those who want to preserve space: %33
• Those who stated that they will continue to reduce: %49

Mitigation strategies:

• Failure to renew expired leases: %63
• Sublease / transfer: %60
• Lease termination: %55
• Building sale: %26

Azaltım kararlarında kalite belirleyici: Yöneticilerin %62’si, hangi alanların korunacağına karar verirken “kaliteyi ciddi şekilde dikkate aldığını” belirtiyor.

Conclusion: There Is No One Right Way, But There Is A Data-Driven Path

Leesman's report shows that there is no single solution model for the future of the office and that each organisation must define its own ‘workplace why’.

• Hybrid construction is widespread but still evolving.
• The office experience has improved, but is not fully aligned with employee needs.
• Real estate strategies are becoming more conscious and quality-oriented.

Customised solutions that take into account each company's employee profile, needs and business objectives will be key to sustainable success in 2025 and beyond.

Source: Leesman Focus Forward 2025 Report - leesmanindex.com