The gap between ambition
and reality
Employee experience has never been higher on the real estate agenda. But ranking it and delivering it are two different things. Our latest Corporate Real Estate (CRE) Leaders Poll, gathered from 129 senior global CRE leaders representing approximately 915 million sq. ft. of office space, reveals a persistent misalignment across real estate strategy, hybrid policy, and market supply.
“Experience is talked about more than it is built into decisions. Delivery remains difficult, but not impossible.”
“Now is the time to mind the gap. But more importantly, act on it.”
By that, we mean the experience gap: that widening disconnect between what landlords are delivering and what tenants actually expect. This gap matters because employee experience shapes attraction, retention, performance, and organisational resilience. So, what will it take to close the distance between intent and experience?
Closing the distance
Where the
gaps are
01Strategy
84% name positive employee experience as their primary goal
Experience is the vision, cost is the reality
84% of CRE leaders say that positive employee experience is a primary driver of their real estate strategy. Yet when selecting new offices, location and cost dominate, with only 27% citing potential employee satisfaction as a top factor. The gap between stated ambition and actual decision-making remains wide.
02Hybrid
60% have only ‘somewhat’ found the right approach to hybrid working
Loss of momentum
98% of organisations have adopted hybrid, and 57% operate under an organisation-wide mandate, with an average of 3 days per week now the default. Yet only 35% of leaders say they’ve truly found the right approach. Organisations have settled into a state of cautious stability, with working models and attendance policies remaining largely unchanged over the past year.
03Market
48% say flexibility of space and lease terms is the biggest gap in the market
Landlords are being left behind
Over half of CRE leaders (57%) reduced their real estate footprint in the last 18 months; 48% expect further reductions in the coming period. Yet, flexibility remains the largest unmet need. Only 1 in 10 landlords are seen as truly active or progressive partners according to occupiers. The gap is no longer just about buildings, amenities and services, but also about relationships.
By the numbers
The experience
gap
Looking ahead
Closing the gap
The findings of our most recent CRE poll reveal a market that has stabilised operationally but remains misaligned strategically and experientially. Across priorities, policies, and portfolios, organisations have settled into workable patterns, yet few believe those patterns are optimal. Now is the time to mind the gap, but more importantly, act on it.
The next phase of workplace strategy will be defined by those who close the distance between ambition and reality.
If you are interested in participating in a future CRE Leaders Poll, or if you’d like to explore how Leesman’s workplace experience data can sharpen your real estate strategy, we welcome the conversation.
Get in touch at [email protected] or visit leesmanindex.com.
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Our latest report gathers insights from 129 senior Corporate Real Estate leaders representing approximately 915 million sq. ft. of office space. It identifies where strategy, policy, and the market itself are falling short, and what it will take to close the distance between intent and experience.