The pandemic has sparked a series of questions about the future of office, and the answers have swung in every direction. Some have argued that this is the end of the flexible office environment, which requires density and shared workspaces. In its latest flexible office report, however, Colliers International makes a case for continued growth of the flexible workspace market.

The report also argues that a new generation of flexible space is on the horizon.  "If Flex 1.0 was about where people work; Flex 2.0 will be increasingly centered around how people work," Knotel CEO Amol Sarvar said in the report.  Currently, flex space accounts for 25% of total office inventory worldwide. However, the report predicts that the supply of flex space will grow by two to three times over the next five years.

The report outlines six drivers of the flex market growth. Corporate demand is the top reason. Corporate office users have needed more flexibility in workspace, fueling the adoption of flex leases over the last few years. The pandemic has only accelerated this trend, according to the report.