U.S. companies are accelerating the push for employees to return to the office, but many are falling short on the investments needed to make workplaces more attractive, competitive and adaptable, according to CBRE’s 2026 Office Occupier Sentiment Survey.
The survey found that 89% of office-using organizations now require employees to work from the office at least three days per week, up from 78% a year earlier. However, despite the growing emphasis on physical attendance, only 14% of companies are making major improvements to their office environments — highlighting a disconnect between workplace expectations and workplace investment.
The findings reveal a widening gap between corporate priorities and execution. While 62% of respondents identified improving employee experience as a key priority, nearly half (47%) of the 97 companies surveyed rated their workplace experience as average or below average compared with their peers.
“The market has shifted from whether the office matters to whether it delivers,” said John Morris, Group President, Advisory Leasing, Americas at CBRE. “Companies are asking employees to spend more time on-site, but without the right investment in the office experience, the office risks falling short as a competitive advantage. Sometimes, even smaller experiential improvements can pay dividends, like creating dedicated space for different food vendors in the lobby, free coffee, white noise in open areas and more phone booths.”
The survey suggests that the next phase of the office market will be defined less by whether companies maintain physical workplaces and more by how effectively those spaces support collaboration, innovation and employee engagement.
AI Emerges as a Force Behind Office Transformation
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important factor in corporate real estate decisions, with companies beginning to rethink how much space they need and how offices should function.
Nearly one-quarter (23%) of organizations said AI is already influencing their space planning decisions, while another 30% expect AI to have an impact within the next two years.
The most anticipated workplace changes driven by AI include greater adoption of flexible and reconfigurable spaces (50%), increased demand for higher-quality amenities (36%), and the creation of specialized environments such as AI laboratories and innovation centers (30%).
While 37% of respondents expect AI to contribute to some level of workforce reduction, only 4% of those companies are planning significant office-space reductions over the next three years. The data suggests AI is not primarily eliminating office demand but instead accelerating changes in how workplaces are designed and utilized.
“AI is a catalyst for office redesign,” said Julie Whelan, Head of Occupier Research, CBRE. “Occupiers are rethinking how space supports collaboration, innovation and specialized work, which will continue to drive demand for higher-quality, more adaptable workplaces.”
Office Market Stabilization Begins to Take Shape
Beyond workplace transformation, the survey points to signs of stabilization across the broader office market. Two-thirds of organizations expect to maintain or expand their office portfolios over the next three years, consistent with last year’s findings.
Large companies, which had been among the most aggressive in reducing office footprints, are beginning to moderate those efforts. Among organizations with 10,000 or more employees, the share planning to reduce office space declined to 46% from 60% a year earlier.
Across all company sizes, 38% of respondents expect their office footprint to expand over the next three years, compared with 34% anticipating further contraction. The shift could support improving office absorption, particularly in major central business districts.
Technology companies are emerging as a leading driver of future office demand. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of technology firms surveyed plan to expand their office footprint, representing the strongest growth outlook among all industries.
That momentum is already visible in leasing activity. During the first half of the year, technology companies accounted for 21% of U.S. office leasing activity, followed by financial services firms at approximately 16%. The technology sector has rebounded significantly from its recent low point of 13% of leasing activity in 2023.
As companies continue navigating return-to-office policies, AI adoption and evolving workplace expectations, the future of commercial real estate increasingly appears centered on quality over quantity — with demand shifting toward offices that provide better experiences, greater flexibility and specialized environments designed for the next generation of work.
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