Nearly 9 out of 10 large companies in Romania plan to maintain their current office footprint in 2026, signalling a shift from expansion to optimization, according to a Colliers survey of 101 companies.
Meanwhile, small firms are more open to expansion, while mid-sized companies adjust their workplace strategies based on collaboration needs, creating an increasingly polarized office market.
As the labour market matures, differences between companies become more evident based on size, influencing decisions about office space, workforce strategies, technology and employee wellbeing. The survey classified companies as small (under 100 employees), medium (100-500 employees), and large (over 500 employees).
Corporations show the most real estate stability, with 87% intending to keep their office footprint unchanged. In contrast, small firms are nearly twice as likely to consider expansion into other cities. This difference extends to business outlook, with 68% of large organizations having a positive perspective compared to around half of mid-sized companies.
Office usage varies significantly between company sizes. Over 40% of small firms report at least 70% of employees present on a typical day, while mid-sized and large companies see 50-70% attendance. Larger organizations more commonly implement attendance policies, with over 40% of large companies having clear presence rules compared to just 12.5% of small firms.
"The office space market is no longer evolving uniformly, but is becoming increasingly fragmented. Company size directly influences how decisions related to space, people, and technology are made," explains Daniela Popescu, Director of Tenant Services & Workplace Advisory at Colliers. Technology adoption shows mid-sized companies leading, with artificial intelligence usage exceeding 40%, comparable to large corporations but with greater implementation agility.
