The last few years have seen massive disruption for companies around the world. Real estate and its impact on productivity have come under the spotlight as never before, with both employees and leaders re-evaluating the future of work.

For many companies, time’s up on the wait-and-see approach for offices. Despite still grappling with operationalizing hybrid and a raft of political, economic and social challenges, they’re starting to formulate longer-term strategies.

With the need for flexibility and ESG commitments paramount, those strategies range from site consolidations and optimizations, to investing in higher quality sites, amenities and reconfigurable workspaces.

But according to a recent Financial Times panel discussion, the common point is that they’re being tailored to what companies in different sectors need, balancing the requirements of the organization with the preferences of their workforce.

“What’s clear is that organizations now realize the immense potential of the built environment to drive positive change and fuel growth,” says Sue Asprey Price, JLL EMEA Work Dynamics CEO, speaking at the event. She added that as markets seek a path to stability, the purpose of real estate in supporting the resilience of businesses has never been more critical.

Experts on the panel from Sanofi, EY, Legal & General Investment Management, Deutsche Bank and Aon mostly agreed while discussing how companies and investors are starting to use portfolios to thrive through uncertainty, and how robust corporate real estate strategies can contribute to tackling environmental and social goals while shaping the future of CBDs.