Building an EMEA workplace strategy that works across borders

# Why EMEA needs a different approach Workplace strategy across EMEA cannot rest on a single policy such as mandating a set number of days in the office. Markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa face different employment rules, commuting patterns, lease types, labor markets, and cultural expectations. Those differences make rigid mandates ineffective and sometimes counterproductive.

# Focus on outcomes, not attendance Instead of standardizing office days, set consistent objectives: collaboration, employee experience, portfolio efficiency, governance, and performance. Let local teams determine how to meet those objectives. A headquarters building designed for collaboration will need different metrics and services than small satellite offices where employees travel to see specific colleagues.

# What employees now expect Access to a desk is not sufficient. People expect workplaces to enable work they could not do as well elsewhere — project meetings, focused team collaboration, or access to specialist equipment or services. Attendance figures alone miss this nuance: a 2025 European Office Occupier Sentiment Survey found 54% of companies wanted employees in the office three or more days per week, while only 42% achieved that level.

# Account for local differences with data

# Connect the right data sources Bring together utilization, reservation, facilities, asset, and real estate data. When integrated, these signals reveal mismatches—an office with low average utilization may reach capacity midweek, or heavy booking activity may not translate into actual occupancy. Connected data helps refine space mix, services offered, and portfolio decisions like lease renewals or consolidation.

# Build governance into the strategy

# Keep strategy flexible and measurable Expect change. Employee expectations, regulations, business priorities, and technology will evolve. Treat workplace strategy as an ongoing program: measure outcomes, adjust where data shows needs, and avoid locking into a single workplace model. Continuous measurement produces better, more defensible portfolio decisions.

# Practical next steps for leaders

• Define outcome-based goals across the region (collaboration, experience, cost, compliance).
• Inventory local constraints (regulatory, commuting, lease, culture) for each market.
• Integrate utilization, bookings, facilities, and asset data to get a full picture of workplace performance.
• Establish cross-functional governance covering privacy, security, and responsible data use.
• Pilot location-specific approaches that map back to regional objectives, then scale what works.

A regional strategy that balances consistent aims with local flexibility will be more resilient and actionable than one-size-fits-all mandates. Use data and governance to translate those aims into local plans that improve employee experience and portfolio performance.