Office Space Shrinks: Companies Downsize Offices Due to Home Office

Driven by the ongoing trend toward regular home office, German companies are reducing their office space. The development is particularly strong among service providers and large corporations, which occupy most of the country's office space.

Key figures at a glance

• 🗑 -12 % office space demand: An ifo Institute study projects that demand for office space in Germany will fall by around 12 %.
• 🏢 Delayed effect: As lease agreements are usually long-term, the impact on office space is only becoming visible gradually – a long-term challenge for the real-estate sector.
• 💸 ~€700/month/employee for the office: While companies invest significant sums in the office, employees in mobile work are often left on their own – even though, on average, half of value creation happens there.

Support home office professionally instead of leaving people alone

Reducing office space is only one side of the coin. The other: anyone working hybrid long-term needs a professional workplace at home as well – ergonomic, healthy and productive. That is exactly where onyo comes in, helping companies support home-based work holistically.

For more background, read the original article in FAZ (German).

What companies should do now

Companies should think about their space strategy and their home-office strategy together: those who reduce office space should invest part of the savings in healthy work at home – for more productivity, fewer sick days and stronger employee retention.

Want to learn how to sustainably support your employees' health in the home office? Book a free consultation.