The impact of COVID-19 on office usage in the Middle East

To help identify the impact of COVID-19 on office space usage in the Middle East, Deloitte captures sentiment from companies in relation to the evolving nature of their bricks and mortar requirements, work from home (WFH) experience and policies during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey findings suggest that the majority of the respondents do not expect a change in office space requirement and focus/productivity was ranked as the most important reason for staff attending the office. Among those considering reducing office space in the future, the reduction in staff numbers due to COVID-19 linked business impact is the primary reason driving the reduction in footprint. Meanwhile, WFH policies are expected to become more flexible in the next 12 months. By comparison, the majority of the respondents did not have a WFH policy before COVID-19 restrictions came into effect.

If you would like to discuss the findings in more detail please reach out to:

Laky Chhina, Head of Financial Advisory Qatar, Deloitte Middle East

Hassan Aslam, Head of Real Estate Qatar, Deloitte Middle East