FM newsroom – office strategy, trends. Success in today’s office market isn’t defined by occupancy rates but by the ability to adapt. As leaders at the CEE Property Forum 2025 made clear, repositioning through quality, flexibility, and innovation is now the only sustainable strategy.
At the CEE Property Forum 2025 in Vienna, Austria, a unified message emerged: the office sector must evolve or fall behind. Moderated by Paweł Nowakowski MRICS, panellists from investment, development, occupancy, and finance agreed that the question is no longer whether offices matter—but which offices will stay relevant, Property Forum reports.
Premium Space Over Portfolio Size
Christian Wurzer of Siemens Real Estate highlighted a decisive shift: hybrid work has reduced overall office footprints, but increased demand for high-quality, experience-rich spaces. Offices, he stressed, must now justify their existence as places where collaboration, culture, and innovation genuinely thrive.
Learning from Retail’s Reinvention
Fraser Watson of Axelor Group compared today’s office transition to retail’s reinvention a decade ago. Just as retail survived digital disruption by evolving, offices must transform around tenant expectations. Core locations—particularly in Prague—remain strong, but only agile, tenant-centric assets will attract future investment.
Lenders Back Offices—But Only Adaptable Ones
Offering the financing view, Péter Számely MRICS of HYPO NOE Landesbank emphasised that the shift predates COVID-19. Banks still believe in the asset class; however, they prioritise buildings that support new work styles, integrate technology, and deliver long-term employee well-being.
Developers Prioritise Experience, Not Density
From the developer perspective, Globalworth’s Andrei Boca highlighted that traditional pre-2020 measures—like full occupancy and dense layouts—are no longer the benchmarks for success. Today, value is increasingly driven by amenities, community initiatives, and certifications that support quality and accessibility.
Technology as the Core of Repositioning
Tomas Zach of M2C noted that modernisation now requires smart sensors, automation, and real-time monitoring. These tools optimise energy use, reduce costs and enhance comfort—key factors for both tenants and investors in a competitive market.
The New Office Playbook: Adapt, Upgrade, Innovate
Across the panel, three pillars emerged as essential to successful office repositioning: energy efficiency, green leases and sustainable frameworks, along with smart technology and user-focused innovation. Regardless of location or asset class, the consensus was clear: the future belongs to offices that adapt boldly, prioritise experience, and invest in long-term resilience.