The Future of Work Survey 2024

In an increasingly complex, ambiguous and dynamic environment, companies are adopting a cautiously positive outlook, JLL’s latest Global Future of Work survey finds. The global survey of decision makers shows that organizations are planning to increase and rebalance organizational headcount in the coming years and many are ready to invest into their real estate, expecting to increase budget and footprint. However, most organizations will also retain a sharp focus on workplace efficiency, making smarter and more responsible use of their real estate portfolio. More than 60% of respondents expect to see increased workplace utilization over the next five years.

According to survey respondents, the biggest constraint on operations is the difficulty to think long-term given the fast-changing and dynamic environment. This manifests nowhere more than the CRE landscape, where professionals have had to constantly adapt to major changes to the ways people work in the last few years. This cautious approach to uncertainty has resulted in complexities for CRE teams, not least of which is the need to invest for the future by transforming workplaces, while maintaining an acute focus on efficiency and costs.

The 2024 Future of Work program will investigate these factors in a series of articles, beginning here with a look at the implications of shifting work patterns and their effects on workplace expectations. We will examine what this means for CRE leaders and their teams and how they should respond to meet the evolving needs of their organizations and staff.

The 2024 Future of Work survey underscores the evolving nature of work patterns and the consequential expectations placed on CRE. Organizations are actively seeking support from CRE to address their dynamic short and long-term requirements, while also grappling with the simultaneous and possibly contradictory need for both efficiency and growth.

Explore more of JLL's latest insights on World Economic Forum themes at our dedicated Davos page.