The past five years have prompted significant changes in corporate real estate, driven by pandemic-related issues and what JLL referred to as “reactive rightsizing.”

But 2026 should be different. “Winning organizations will not only identify the right strategies but build the culture and talent foundations to absorb change continuously,” JLL analysts wrote in the company’s recently released “Corporate Real Estate Trends to Watch” report.

The JLL experts suggested the following to help move organizations into an effective position.

#1—Flexible Portfolios

Rather than focusing on fixed, long-term commitments, the report suggested “agile, elastic portfolios that flex across asset types to meet organizational goals.” At this point, “persistent underutilization and more dynamic workforce requirements” mean that fixed footprints are expensive and inefficient.

#2—Focus on Experiential Workplaces

The JLL experts suggested a “mature, data-driven workplace model” that combines location, experience approaches and flexible work patterns. Different locations and working hours are now a human need, rather than a perk, with work-life balance outranking salary as a key factor in retention.

#3—AI Advancements

The report highlighted that integrating artificial intelligence into workplace platforms can facilitate the creation of “responsive environments that adapt to real-time data and user needs.” Doing so also helps optimize energy management requirements while boosting efficiency and decision-making capabilities.

#4—Future-Ready FMs

Facilities management (FM) is also undergoing change, which requires talent, new functions and change management. According to the report, “Building a future-ready FM organization requires investing in human-centric skills, embracing technology and adopting agile structures that empower teams to adapt as roles and workflows evolve with AI, automation and changing business priorities.”

#5—Sustainability Strategies

The JLL experts explained that a well-functioning, data-driven strategy means integrating ongoing energy tracking, real-time monitoring, and pinpoint analytics. Doing so helps “ optimize usage, control costs and meet evolving compliance standards.”

The report stated that high-quality, integrated data is the key to effective corporate real estate changes. Specifically, the organizations that can link “cost optimization with employee experience, AI capabilities with human-centric design and strategic partnerships with operational excellence” end up managing costs, while moving their “physical footprint into a platform for competitive advantage, talent attraction and business resilience.”