Organisations across sectors are now balancing physical and digital environments to support a more adaptive, empowered workforce. This shift has reshaped workplace strategy and created new opportunities to rethink commercial real estate, placing people, flexibility, and data at the core of decision-making.

‍

Hybrid workspaces: making space for what matters

As hybrid working becomes the default for many organisations, we’re seeing a growing need to align spatial strategy with new patterns of behaviour. Flex workspaces are proving instrumental. They offer the control, autonomy, and choice that today’s workforce expects. According to WeWork, 95% of employees want control over how, where, and when they work. Nearly half would prefer to spend up to three days a week in the office. Meanwhile, 64% say they would pay out of pocket to access professional space outside the home.  

These behaviours have tangible implications. We’re seeing clients shift from long leases to short-term, scalable space. Others opt for coworking environments or modular design to create more adaptable headquarters. The consistent goal is to match investment with use and avoid locking into a footprint that doesn’t reflect reality.

‍

‍Deloitte

Deloitte took steps to recalibrate its Manchester estate in response to evolving work patterns. The firm reduced its floorplate from 70,000 to 35,000 sq ft and partnered with WeWork to deliver a flex workspace spanning two floors. This allowed Deloitte to continue supporting 800 people in a high-quality environment, while gaining the space and time to assess future needs. Crucially, the arrangement acts as a live trial, giving data and feedback that can inform longer-term planning.

‍

‍

Enterprise use of coworking is scaling fast

This is not just a start-up trend. Over half (54%) of WeWork’s members are now enterprise clients. The global market for flex space is worth over £19 billion, with 12% supply growth forecast in the next 12 months. Notably, 75% of FTSE 100 firms already use flex workspaces for their estate strategy.

Making hybrid work: designing for flexibility and function

Gensler’s Design Forecast 2025 highlights the role of flexibility in successful hybrid environments. Adaptable workspaces support diverse work modes - individual focus, in-person collaboration, social reconnection, and virtual engagement.

We see clients exploring:

• Reduced or reconfigured core office footprints

• Access to coworking hubs for distributed teams

• Modular layouts that blend quiet, shared, and social zones

What works best depends on your people. Do they need space to collaborate, recharge, focus, or innovate? The most effective strategies begin with understanding those needs, then designing space to serve them.

‍

‍Flexibility without compromise

Shorter leases and coworking environments offer immediate flexibility, but they only work long-term when matched by robust governance, consistent experience, and precise spatial intent. Design quality, cultural alignment, and operational clarity remain essential.

In many cases, clients are integrating workplace pilots into broader transformation programmes. A short-term lease becomes a live prototype. Modular teams test and evolve new ways of working. The result is not a one-off fitout, but an infrastructure that supports iteration.

Design for experience - not attendance

Hybrid success isn’t measured in occupancy. It’s measured in outcomes. Gallup reports that highly engaged teams deliver 22% higher profitability and 21% higher productivity. Creating space that earns attention, rather than requiring it, can shift the dynamic from obligation to attraction.

This means starting with experience. Why do people come together? What do they need from their time in the office? Is it trust-building, focus, mentoring, access to tools, or something else? When we understand that, we can design places that enable it.

Flexibility is a business asset

The future of the workplace isn’t fixed, but it is intentional. Flex workspaces are not a stopgap - they’re an operating model. They allow businesses to align culture, cost, and capability while responding to rapid change.

Whether through a smaller, smarter HQ, a coworking partnership, or a modular regional hub, the principles remain the same: prioritise your people, design for outcomes, and stay ready to adapt. This isn’t about reducing space. It’s about making space for what matters.

Ready to rethink your workspace strategy? We help leadership teams define flexible, scalable environments that align space with strategic intent. Start a conversation today.