JLL’s biennial Global Future of Work survey has been exploring the evolving world of work since 2011 and is recognized as a leading industry publication on the emerging CRE trends. This year, we draw on the experience of over 2,300 CRE decision-makers and the perspectives of JLL experts, highlighting the key areas of focus and strategies CRE leaders should be prioritizing over the next 12-24 months and beyond. Future of Work 2024 is part of JLL’s Future Vision program, a scenario-led exploration of the future of Real Estate. 

• A desire to increase and rebalance organizational headcount, in an attempt to recruit the right talent and skills to be future-ready;
  
• A strong focus on organizational efficiency that requires smarter long-term investment decisions;
  
• Competing visions of ‘how work should be done’ to achieve the best performance – often coexisting within the same organization;
  
• An attempt from ‘Office advocates’ to promote equal work practices among their workforce and to design more inclusive workplaces;
  
• The recognition that flexibility in workstyles is the best way to strengthen organizational performance among ‘Hybrid adopters’;
  
• Finally, an opportunity for CRE teams to contribute to the Employee Value Proposition (EVP) discussion, by defining a compelling and evolutionary office model for their organization.
  

Despite the tight labor markets, the recent mass layoffs in several industries and the rise of AI and automation, survey respondents feel positive about the future. 64% expect their headcount to increase by 2030. But a rebalancing of skills is also taking place, as employers are looking to recruit the right profiles that will enable them to be future-fit.

The three most-cited corporate goals in the 2024 survey are: growing revenue through new markets and M&A, attracting and retaining talent and achieving organizational efficiency. The latter raises ongoing questions around the best ways to achieve smart growth and to reconcile potentially competing expectations, leaving organizations with a delicate balancing act. What’s the best way to secure organizational efficiency and attract the right talent? Should employees work together in the office, taking advantage of face-to-face interactions? Or should they be offered maximum flexibility, to allow them to decide where and when they can perform at their best? And what type of workplaces should CRE teams offer?

While approaches to office attendance vary widely, decision makers appear ready to invest. 65% of respondents said they expect their overall CRE budget to increase between now and 2030, but it will have to be invested cleverly and responsibly, in a context where CRE teams are still struggling to be perceived as value drivers and not merely cost centers.

Even though there is often a gap between what employers expect and what is happening in reality, CRE leaders must assess whether the return to more office time will continue and what this means for office utilization. They also need to consider how space design can support the coexistence of different workstyles within their organization. For example, planning for full-time attendance for populations of engineers, while tech support teams might work in a hybrid manner. Despite this complex and evolving landscape, it’s clear that the office is central to work: 85% of organizations have a policy of at least three days of office attendance per week. And 43% expect the number of days in the office to increase by 2030, though this may still be within a hybrid work strategy for many organizations.

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.