Office space demand to remain in the future

Despite the changes in workplace arrangement witnessed over recent years with the rise of work from home and hybrid setups, the demand for office spaces in the Philippines is seen to persist in the future as the country's workforce remains office-centric, results of a survey by JLL Philippines showed.

- By CATHERINE TALAVERA

In a media briefing on Wednesday, July 30, JLL Philippines Head of Research Consulting Janlo de los Reyes presented results of the company's Workforce Preference Barometer Survey, which surveyed full-time and part-time employees in Metro Manila and other areas such as Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Clark, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas.

The survey found that 73 percent of respondents still work primarily in offices, while 15 percent said they work from home. In addition, 10 percent cited others such as call centers, banks, retail, factories, and malls, while two percent cited client offices.

"The primary work setting remains the physical office, with remote work arrangements observed to a lesser extent, indicating a workplace model largely centered on office presence," JLL said.

Survey findings showed that office attendance currently averages at 3.35 days a week, as 42 percent of respondents said they go to the office five days a week. In contrast, 21 percent said they attend the office two days a week, while 19 percent said they go to the office three days a week.

Results of the survey also showed that 77 percent of respondents have been asked to work a fixed number of days in the office.