Switzerland Office Market - 2017
The increase in office vacancies observed in Switzerland in recent years has adverse consequences for property owners. However, it often gets forgotten that the office-leasing market doesn’t just have a supply side but also a demand side. Switzerland is home to more than half a million business enterprises in the secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (service) sectors, the bulk of which utilise office space. The increase in office-space availability is a favourable development for tenants because it enables them to secure better leasing conditions, for instance with regard to contractual rent or the fit-out standard. This lowers enterprises’ operating costs and enhances their productivity, which ultimately is also beneficial from a macroeconomic perspective.
Alongside the current trends in the big office markets of Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, Bern and Basel, this year study focuses on the demand side of the tenant market. We examine office-demand needs and trends on the basis of an extensive survey of Swiss enterprises. Our analysis covers questions concerning current lease situations, choice of location, desk-sharing and co-working concepts, and experiences and preferences in office lease negotiations. The findings should also help investors to gear their office-space offerings to prevailing market needs.