The rise of artificial intelligence will transform the property sector by converting 30% of offices into flexible workspaces by 2030. With this assessment, organisations are seeking to adopt hybrid strategies to gain flexibility and operational efficiency in the face of structural uncertainty regarding the size of their workforces.
Data compiled by JLL points to a shift in the traditional office market, which will evolve into an on-demand consumption model due to the difficulties in making long-term space forecasts. To address this situation, companies are turning to the ‘core plus flex’ strategy, a formula that combines traditional corporate headquarters with agile solutions designed to transform fixed costs into competitive advantages.
However, current indicators reveal a disparity between the strategic approach and its actual implementation in the corporate market. Currently, 42% of large organisations allocate just 1% or less of their workforce to flexible offices, while only 3% of companies dedicate more than 10% of their property portfolio to this type of operational model.
Having weathered the post-pandemic correction by streamlining its operations and closing underperforming sites, the flexible workspace sector has consolidated its financial stability. This has restored the confidence of institutional investors, who have entered the market through strategic acquisitions and the launch of proprietary products by major investment firms. Furthermore, institutional investors’ perception of the risk associated with these assets has softened, as existing management agreements generate returns that frequently exceed those of traditional leasing, moving away from the old view that exposure to flexible space exceeding 17% complicated asset valuation.
Within the Spanish market, the Madrid and Barcelona hubs demonstrate a high degree of maturity, with a combined stock of over 620,000 sqm of flexible office space – a figure representing between 2% and 3.5% of the traditional property stock. The supply structure in both cities is characterised by a high concentration of traditional operators. In Madrid, the five leading firms control 55% of the available stock, while in Barcelona the five largest operators account for 53% of the local market. As for take-up recorded during the 2025 financial year, operators accounted for 25,119 sqm in Barcelona, equivalent to 8% of traditional take-up, and 14,250 sqm in Madrid, representing 3% of the conventional market.
Current occupancy levels in these markets stand at 84% for Madrid and 81% for Barcelona, with an average monthly rent per private office workstation of €447 and €411 respectively for operators managing spaces exceeding 10,000 sqm.
