In a compelling panel discussion at the recent Bucharest Business Forum, industry leaders explored the complex landscape of modern workplace dynamics, addressing the ongoing debate between remote work and return-to-office strategies.

Doron Klein, CEO of AFI Europe Romania and Czech Republic, spoke with Property Forum about the increasing trend of employees returning to the office and the company’s first build to rent project in Romania.

Whilst significant ink has flowed in relation to the ‘E’ pillar from the vast ESG spectrum, the ‘S’ pillar is beginning to catch up in prominence particularly in the office sector across the UK and Continental Europe. Post-Covid behaviours have had a massive impact on the office offering and workforce demands - the office is by no means dead, but its role has certainly had a significant rethink, writes Mirela Calota, Director, Deal Advisory - Real Estate and Infrastructure at KPMG, in an article prepared for Property Forum.

Real estate decision-making and people-centric strategies are becoming more integrated, according to CBRE’s 2023 European Occupier Survey. For the first time, CBRE carried out the same survey for global companies having an operation in CEE to point out major differences in workplace culture across the various geographies.

Following other large corporations, New-York based asset manager BlackRock will order a massive return of its employees in the office starting this autumn. The company added a day to its current requirement of three days a week in the office in a bid to boost collaboration and training of its employees. 

According to the latest, fourth edition of a survey conducted by Zymetria (an analytical and research company) on behalf of Skanska's commercial development business unit, after two years of the coronavirus pandemic, 9 out of 10 Polish office employees believe that the traditional office is irreplaceable. Today, more than half of Poles work in a hybrid model – this translates to an almost double increase compared to May 2021. In addition, the hybrid is also the most preferred way of working – it is favoured by 70% of the respondents.

Some 82.6% of employees in Romania say that working from home has affected their relationship with their team, according to a survey conducted by office developer Genesis Property. 

A survey carried out by professional services firm EY Romania among 40 owners of office buildings shows that 75% of them kept their current rent prices despite negotiations with tenants, while the rest lowered prices. 

More businesses have discovered that remote work arrangements support growth, but the future of work will include both office-based and remote work, driven by the nature of tasks, suggested speakers during the workplace strategies panel of SEE Property Forum 2021, Property Forum's annual event in Bucharest.

Romanians are among the European employees that would favour a hybrid work arrangement that combines office-based and remote activities, according to a survey by Colliers.