Nearly two thirds of European office occupiers are planning to relocate over the next three years as workspace strategies adapt to changing needs and increasing competition for the best space, according to CBRE.

The consultancy’s European Office Occupier Sentiment Survey 2026 shows that the office remains important to firms and central to productivity and culture. Collaboration with colleagues (85%), access to productive workspace (81%) and engagement with leadership (77%) were noted as primary drivers of office attendance.

This has translated into an evolution in workspace strategies, with occupiers becoming increasingly selective of their spaces. Nine in 10 respondents said they would reject a building if it did not meet their amenity requirements.

Read more: Q&A with JLL’s Paul Morgan: ‘Organisations have probably realised that this is the new norm’

Conversely, rising expectations of workspaces did not seem to translate into a greater willingness to pay, according to the survey, with those willing to pay a premium for workspace amenities falling from 54% in 2025 to 48% in 2026.

CBRE said these figures pointed to a rising threshold for office viability. Prime office rents within the UK continue to rise.

Technology and sustainability are also reshaping what occupiers require from their offices, CBRE said, with nearly half (48%) of occupiers anticipating needing multipurpose and reconfigurable layouts.

AI is helping drive this shift, with 52% of occupiers expecting AI to reduce headcount and space requirements over time, although its impact on office footprints is likely to be more nuanced than early predictions, according to the company.

Anna Esteban, head of leasing and occupier accounts, Europe, at CBRE, said: “Occupiers are becoming more deliberate about the space they retain and the role it plays within their organisation.

“As businesses adapt to changing workforce needs, the focus is increasingly on offices that attract talent and deliver a high-quality employee experience.

“Occupiers may require less space overall, but are being more selective than ever before. As a result, alternative options such as flexible workspace is becoming more valued, helping organisations access quality space and adapt to changing requirements without the need for significant capital investment.”

These trends are emerging amid a well-documented tightening of supply of suitable office space. CBRE predicted that the provision of European office stock less than five years old would fall to 6.8% by 2028, the lowest level in over a decade. This means competition for the best space is set to intensify, especially as AI companies, which now account for 3% of European office take-up, increasingly target prime, central buildings.

Mark Cartlich, head of European occupational market research at CBRE, said: “The survey highlights a growing divergence between occupier requirements and available supply. Demand is increasingly focused on modern, best-in-class buildings, while the proportion of office stock that meets those requirements is set to decline further.

“Without sufficient development or redevelopment, competition for the best space is likely to intensify across many European markets over the next few years.”