EMEA and UKI Flex Space Industry 2025: Key Metrics and Analysis

The coworking and flex space industry in EMEA and UKI is evolving faster than ever. Once niche providers of shared offices, flex spaces have become integral to corporate real estate strategies and the future of work.

Operators are scaling up, enterprises are embracing hybrid work, and member expectations for service, sustainability, and community are higher than ever.

This article highlights the most important trends and forecasts for 2025 (and beyond) and provides strategic recommendations for flex space operators in the EMEA and UKI region.

We also integrate fresh insights from the OfficeRnD FlexIndex Q1 2025 Report – a benchmark of 2,000+ flex locations across the Americas, EMEA & UKI, and APAC, tracking six key KPIs. These data-driven benchmarks will help you see where you stand and how to plan your next moves.

Quick Summary

• Hybrid work is now the baseline: 42% of European corporate occupiers plan to increase flex space usage over the next three years (JLL).
• Enterprise demand soars: Large companies use flex as a “bridge to quality,” driving growth in private, managed suites.
• Shorter leases preferred: 65% of French firms now favor shorter or coworking leases, converting fixed costs into variable ones.
• Record supply expansion: UK flex office inventory jumped 32% YoY in Q1 2025, pushing total to 8.6 million sq ft.
• Strong performance benchmarks:
  • 74.7% average desk occupancy in Q1 2025 (OfficeRnD FlexIndex)
  • Private offices often 90%+ occupied
  • RevPOD and RevPAD up, with London desk rates at ~£500/month (+2.2% YoY)
• Hotelification, community, and ESG are now table stakes for member experience.
• City highlights:
  • London: 39% YoY supply growth; hub-and-spoke models emerging
  • Berlin: 330,000 sqm of flex space; 75%+ occupancy in large centers
  • Amsterdam: 80%+ occupancy; pioneer in sustainable repurposed spaces
  • Paris: 750+ spaces; private offices 85–90% occupied; up to 25% cost savings vs. leases
  • Dubai: 92%+ traditional office occupancy; flex eases supply gap
• Outlook: Flex could comprise 20–30% of corporate portfolios by 2030.

Whether you run a coworking hub in London or a flex office network across Europe, this guide will help you understand where the industry is heading and how to adapt to stay ahead. Let’s dive into the key trends shaping the flex space landscape in EMEA & UKI in 2025.

Hybrid Work Reshapes Demand – and Enterprise Adoption Surges

It’s clear that hybrid work has shifted from buzzword to baseline. Most organizations now blend remote and in-office work, which is fundamentally changing demand for flexible workspace.

Instead of long leases for fixed headcounts, companies large and small are turning to flex space to scale up or down as needed.

A recent JLL survey found that 42% of corporate occupiers in Europe plan to use more flexible space over the next three years. This represents a huge demand influx from the enterprise segment, historically not the primary user of coworking.

Now, larger companies are embracing flex as a strategic tool to navigate uncertainty in headcounts and office needs.

In fact, flex solutions are increasingly seen as a “bridge to quality,” allowing firms to secure high-end space on flexible terms while they reconfigure their long-term office strategies.

Several factors are driving this enterprise uptake.

• Return-to-office policies remain in flux, and many firms are fine-tuning hybrid arrangements. Flex space provides a safety valve – teams can convene in professional offices on-demand without requiring everyone to be in a HQ five days a week.
• Office attendance rates are stabilizing at moderate levels (over 60% of European firms report average attendance between 41–80% of pre-pandemic levels) as hybrid becomes the norm. With employees coming in part-time, companies don’t want to pay for half-empty fixed offices.
• Flexible “third spaces” and part-time desk usage are up ~10% year-on-year in Europe as firms seek to provide employees choice of where to work. The net effect is more enterprise demand for flex: instead of renewing a whole office lease, a company might take a smaller core office plus memberships or managed suites in flex centers for overflow and hybrid teams.

At the same time, economic uncertainty and cost focus are pushing enterprises toward flex. Committing to a 10-year lease with heavy capex is less appealing when a recession or rapid growth could be around the corner. Flex offers agility.

For example, in France 65% of companies now prefer shorter leases or coworking models over traditional long commitments. This gives CFOs flexibility to adjust real estate costs in real-time with business needs – a “pay-as-you-go” approach to office space.

Moreover, many enterprises find that flex can reduce operating costs by 20–30% by converting fixed costs (rent, fit-out, utilities) into all-inclusive variable costs.

The recent analysis by Workways linked above also noted that in France, companies save up to 25% on office operation costs with flex solutions, especially in high-cost cities like Paris.

Hybrid work is also accelerating new flex space formats tailored to enterprise needs. The fastest-growing segment is managed offices – private, customizable suites provided by an operator on a flexible agreement.

Rather than coworking’s open desks, enterprises often want their own branded area but delivered turnkey.

In the UK, the supply of managed flex offices jumped 111% year-on-year in Q1 2025 as providers rushed to meet this demand.

These managed spaces give big companies the best of both worlds: privacy and control over their space, but none of the hassle of leases and facility management.

The appeal is evident in London, where large corporates now account for a significant share of flex uptake, and flex deals of 2–3 year terms are being used as interim solutions while companies reconfigure their main offices.

Importantly, landlords are also embracing hybrid and flex models, which further expands options for enterprises. Facing higher vacancies in some markets, traditional landlords are partnering with flex operators or launching their own flex offerings to capture tenants who demand more agility.

Many now offer “core and flex” arrangements, where a tenant leases a smaller traditional space (core) and can expand into flex suites in the same building as needed. In the UK, we see the rise of management agreements between landlords and operators – 93% of UK serviced office operators now use management contract models, up from just 9% in 2019.

This aligns incentives by sharing revenue and has enabled an explosion of flex locations in landlord portfolios without the operator carrying full lease liabilities.

The bottom line: hybrid work has firmly entrenched flex space in the corporate real estate toolkit. Larger companies are driving much of the current demand growth, seeking flexibility to navigate the post-pandemic work era.

For flex operators, this is a massive opportunity – but also means upping their game to meet enterprise expectations (for instance, on privacy, security, and service quality).

As we’ll explore, flex providers that cater to these evolving needs stand to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

Flex Space Adoption and Operator Expansion at Record Pace

Demand isn’t the only thing booming – supply of flex space is expanding rapidly across EMEA. After the pandemic pause, operators are back to growth mode, opening new locations and entering new markets.

In fact, flexible offices are now the fastest-growing segment of the office market. Recent forecasts project Europe’s flex office market will grow at around 10–11% CAGR through 2030, roughly doubling in size to over €30 billion by 2030.

Even near-term, growth is striking: in Q1 2025 alone, the UK saw a 32% year-on-year surge in flex office supply (by square footage).

This pushed total UK flex inventory past 8.6 million sq ft. Such expansion is far outpacing traditional office growth, underscoring that flex is where the momentum is.

What’s fueling this expansion?

Robust occupier demand and a shift in landlord strategy. As mentioned, enterprise interest is a big factor – operators are racing to add capacity for large customers seeking swing space or satellite offices.

Also, landlords are actively converting conventional space into flex. With many companies reducing their long-term footprint (due to hybrid work or cost-cutting), landlords have vacant floors in need of occupants.

Rather than wait for another 5–10 year lease (which may be slow to come by), landlords are increasingly choosing to offer those spaces as flex, often via partnerships with experienced operators.

This trend is evident in the UK: Property Week reports that facing weaker demand for traditional leases, many property owners are turning to managed flexible solutions to maintain occupancy and meet evolving tenant needs.

The result is a virtuous cycle – more flex supply brings more customers into the ecosystem, which further normalizes flex as a mainstream option.

Across Europe, major flex operators are in growth and consolidation mode. The big players (IWG/Regus, WeWork, local champions like Mindspace or Industrious in certain countries) are opening locations in secondary cities and suburban hubs, not just capitals.

Even amid challenges (e.g. WeWork’s widely publicized struggles), the sector overall is attracting investment. For example, CBRE’s acquisition of Industrious (a leading U.S. flex operator expanding internationally) shows traditional real estate firms doubling down on flex, effectively betting on its long-term success.

In Europe, M&A is picking up – in Germany, two regional operators (SleevesUp and WorkInn) merged in 2024 to form the country’s largest coworking network, aiming to achieve scale and operational efficiency.

JLL predicted years ago that with hundreds of operators in the market, consolidation was inevitable and the well-capitalized, innovative brands would flourish; we are now seeing that play out.

The flex segment’s resilience through recent turmoil has also emboldened expansion. Despite the pandemic and even recent headlines of specific operator woes, overall flex demand and occupancy have rebounded strongly.

Savills observes that flexible offices proved their strength with increased take-up and robust demand, even as traditional leasing faced headwinds.

Occupancy levels in many flex centers are back to or above pre-pandemic levels, thanks to the hybrid/workforce decentralization trend.

Our OfficeRnD FlexIndex data confirms that desk occupancy and revenue occupancy in EMEA & UKI have remained high through early 2025, with only minor fluctuations quarter-to-quarter.

For instance, revenue occupancy (which accounts for both occupancy and pricing) barely dipped by a fraction of a percent in recent months, indicating steadiness.

Likewise, private office occupancy is very strong – many centers report their private suites are near full, as teams gravitate to enclosed spaces for dedicated use.

In short, flex operators are generally achieving healthy utilization, encouraging them and their investors to expand capacity.

Let’s quantify some performance benchmarks.

According to the OiffceRnD FlexIndex Q1 2025 (EMEA & UKI region), average desk occupancy – the share of available desks that are occupied by members – is 74.7% in Q1 2025, which is roughly 0.2 percentage points higher than the Q4 2024 figure of 74.5%, and it slightly exceeds the 2024 average.

Private offices often run even higher, frequently 90 %+ occupied, reflecting the popularity of lockable team spaces.

Critically, revenue occupancy (a metric that factors in pricing, effectively measuring revenue yield vs. total capacity) has been robust – many operators are capturing a high percentage of potential revenue, thanks to improved pricing and ancillary income.

In the UK, for example, despite a 39% surge in available space in London, desk rates have held mostly steady (median price ~£500/month, up 2.2% year-on-year, even after a slight dip from Q4).

This suggests operators have avoided a “race to the bottom” on pricing even as supply expands. RevPOD (revenue per occupied desk) in many EMEA locations has actually edged up as higher quality space and amenities justify premium rates.

Meanwhile, RevPAD (revenue per available desk) – akin to the hotel industry’s RevPAR – has remained stable or grown, as strong occupancy offsets any small price discounts.

These figures collectively indicate a healthy market where operators are, on average, filling their space and getting good value for it.

Of course, expansion is not uniform everywhere. There are regional and city-level differences (we will highlight some in the city snapshots section).

Some markets are nearer to saturation, with intense competition among operators, while untapped demand still exists in others (secondary cities, emerging markets).

Smaller independent operators face challenges scaling up and staying profitable amidst the expansion wave.

As already reported by technologywithin, in markets like Germany, surveys show only ~20% of coworking spaces report being profitable, and smaller sites (<500 sqm) struggle with lower occupancy (often half the desks empty).

Rising operating costs (energy, rent) and thinner margins mean operational efficiency is key – one reason many smaller players either specialize in a niche or consider joining networks to survive.

Nonetheless, the overall trajectory is continued growth. Even in markets with temporary oversupply, demand is catching up as the flex value proposition appeals to a widening customer base (startups, freelancers, SMEs, and now enterprises).

For flex operators, this rapid adoption and expansion brings both opportunity and heightened competition. Standing out in a crowded market will require sharp positioning – whether by location, niche services, or superior execution.

In the next sections, we examine how customer expectations are evolving (hint: it’s more than just a cool space with coffee), and we take a quick tour of key city markets, before delving into strategies to succeed in 2025’s flex landscape.

So, keep reading!

Evolving Member Expectations: Service, Sustainability, and Wellness as Differentiators

With flex spaces becoming mainstream, member expectations have evolved far beyond a desk and Wi-Fi. Today’s tenants – from individual freelancers to large corporate teams – are looking for an experience and a workplace that supports their well-being and values.

Leading operators are responding by transforming their spaces with hospitality-level services, sustainable practices, and wellness amenities.

In 2025, these factors are not just “nice-to-haves” – they are essential to attracting and retaining customers in the flex market.

The Hotelification Is Happening

“Hotelification” of coworking is in full swing. The industry’s mantra has become amenity-rich, hospitality-infused workspaces.

In practical terms, this means flex centers now often feature perks you’d expect in a boutique hotel or a lifestyle club.

On-site barista cafes, artisanal snacks, fitness centers or yoga rooms, concierge-style reception, curated artwork and interior design, weekly social events – these are increasingly common.

According to the London Flex Space Brand Index, “amenity-rich reigns supreme” among top-rated flex spaces.

It’s a recognition that people come to coworking for an elevated experience they might not get at a home office or a traditional dull office. The goal is to make the workspace not just functional, but enjoyable and inspiring.

Underpinning this hospitality vibe is a renewed focus on service quality and community. Many operators are hiring community managers with backgrounds in hospitality (hotels, travel, events) who excel in creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

These staff members orchestrate everything from remembering members’ birthdays to organizing networking happy hours. The result is that members feel part of a community and well cared for – a strong incentive to stay.

Wellness and Well-Being – More Important Than Ever

Wellness and well-being have become top priorities in workspace design. The pandemic refocused everyone on health, and now employees expect offices to actively support their physical and mental well-being.

In coworking, this translates to features like improved air filtration, natural lighting, biophilic design (plants, access to nature), ergonomic furniture, quiet zones, and wellness programs (meditation sessions, healthy food options, etc.).

The International WELL Building Institute even piloted a WELL Health-Safety Rating specifically for coworking spaces, and forward-thinking operators are pursuing such certifications as a mark of quality.

Why?

Because it makes a difference: studies find that healthier workspace environments can lead to a 26% improvement in overall well-being and 10% boost in mental health for occupants.

Sustainability and ESG Practices as the New Norm

Closely tied to wellness is the emphasis on sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) values.

Flex space users, especially younger companies and freelancers, increasingly care about the environmental footprint and social impact of their workspace.

Millennials and Gen Z rank environmental issues as a top priority and prefer businesses (and workplaces) that align with those values.

In France, 72% of startups now prioritize ESG when choosing offices, often opting for eco-certified buildings.

Flex brands that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability (some even becoming B Corp certified) can gain a competitive edge in this values-driven market.

Key City Snapshots: London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Dubai

The flex workspace revolution is a global phenomenon, but it manifests uniquely in each city. Here we provide a brief snapshot of five key cities in the EMEA & UKI region – London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dubai – focusing on the local flex market’s status and trends.

These cities are all important hubs that illustrate broader regional dynamics.

London’s Flex Market is on the Rise

Europe’s largest flex office market continues to break records. London accounts for roughly three-quarters of all UK flexible office inventory, and it’s still growing fast.

As, Allwork.space reports, supply in London ballooned by 39% year-on-year as of Q1 2025 – an enormous expansion driven by both coworking providers and landlords adding space.

Despite this surge, demand has kept pace: occupancy levels are high in prime locations and desk prices in London have remained resilient, nudging up ~1% quarter-on-quarter in early 2025.

Corporate demand is especially strong in London’s West End and City submarkets, where many large firms are using flex space while upgrading their main offices.

JLL’s London team noted that tech and finance companies account for 68% of flex transactions by volume. London’s role as a global business hub ensures a steady pipeline of startups, scale-ups, and international firms needing project space or swing space.

Looking ahead, there’s little sign of slowdown – if anything, London is pioneering the “hub-and-spoke” model, where companies keep a London HQ hub but use flex space in outer zones or commuter towns as spokes.

Berlin: Germany’s Flex Space Capital

The startup capital of Germany, Berlin is a vibrant flex space market with strong growth. Berlin is hailed as Germany’s “flex office capital,” boasting about 330,000 sq m of existing and planned flexible workspace – the largest in the country by far.

Providers from local firms (e.g. Unicorn Workspaces) to international ones (WeWork, Mindspace) have a big presence.

Demand in Berlin is fueled by its booming tech and creative industries. The city consistently attracts entrepreneurs and remote-working creatives, many of whom prefer coworking environments.

Berlin’s flex growth is also supported by landlords: with office vacancy creeping up (projected to hit ~8%), many landlords are open to flex solutions or management agreements to fill space.

Recent high-profile moves include U.S.-based Industrious entering Berlin under a management agreement, and local pioneer betahaus expanding via a partnership with a major landlord. These signal a landlord embrace of flex models in Berlin, similar to London.

On the occupancy side, Berlin centers saw a dip during the pandemic but have largely rebounded; however, as in Germany generally, smaller coworking sites still face challenges achieving high occupancy (many under 500 sqm struggle below 60-70%).

The average large center, though, enjoys around 75% occupancy or higher. Pricing in Berlin is moderate relative to London or Paris, which, combined with its cultural cool factor, makes it attractive for flex.

The pipeline of ~78,000 sqm new flex space under development across Germany includes significant Berlin projects, so 2025 will bring more supply.

But given Berlin’s status as a magnet for innovation and remote workers, demand should keep rising.

Amsterdam still has High Occupancy Rates

A mature but growing flex market, Amsterdam is known for high occupancy and steady demand. As a major international business center (especially for creative industries, finance, and multinationals basing European HQs), Amsterdam has some of the highest office occupancy rates on the continent.

It was recently identified as one of the most “underpriced” major office markets in Europe, meaning there is value to be found, and it offers attractive opportunities for flex investment.

The city hosts hundreds of coworking spaces, from global brands (Spaces was founded here, WeWork has multiple sites) to local operators (e.g. Spaces (IWG), Tribes, and others).

By late 2024, Paris had about 750 coworking spaces, whereas Amsterdam’s count is a bit lower but significant given its smaller size, roughly in the few hundreds, with 15% growth in new spaces in 2024 according to industry data, shared by Workways. (the Netherlands overall saw a spike in flex supply).

Occupancy in Amsterdam flex space offices is generally strong (often 80%+), as the city’s popularity among startups and remote international workers means spaces fill up quickly.

Additionally, Amsterdam’s progressive business culture aligns well with coworking – many companies here adopted hybrid work early and are comfortable with employees using coworking memberships.

The city is also a pioneer in sustainability; some Amsterdam coworking hubs are in repurposed historic buildings with cutting-edge green design.

While new supply is coming (operators expanding into suburbs and secondary Dutch cities), demand remains solid enough to absorb it, aided by Amsterdam’s dynamic economy. The outlook here is stable growth, not explosive like London, but consistent.

One thing to watch is pricing: Amsterdam is cheaper than London/Paris, but not low-cost; prices have creeped up as quality and amenities improved.

Still, relative to traditional Dutch office leases, flex offers flexibility that many scale-ups and international branches prefer.

We expect Amsterdam to remain one of Europe’s most resilient flex markets, with high occupancy and a focus on hospitality and design to cater to its savvy clientele.

Paris’ Flex Space Growth Continues

The City of Light has wholeheartedly embraced coworking in recent years. Paris now counts over 750 coworking and flex workspaces, after growing about 15% in number in 2024 alone.

Initially driven by startup growth and a push for innovation spaces, Paris’s flex market is now also supported by traditional corporates.

French companies have historically favored long leases, but even they are shifting – as noted earlier, a majority now prefer shorter, flexible terms or coworking options.

Paris has seen heavy investment from big operators: WeWork’s largest European site is in Paris, while local champions like Wojo (backed by Accor and Bouygues) and Station F (for startups) have expanded.

Occupancy in top Paris flex locations is high, often above 85-90% for private offices, as demand is bolstered by both domestic firms and multinationals.

One interesting trend: many flex centers opened in Paris are amenity-rich “pro-working” spaces located in prime arrondissements, catering to professionals who want prestige addresses plus services.

This aligns with Paris being a center of business sophistication – flex offerings here tend to include concierge, high-end design, and even Michelin-star chefs (in one case!).

Pricing in Paris for coworking is on the higher side (average desk rates rank among the top in Europe, roughly similar to London’s outskirts, though slightly below London’s core).

Even so, the economics can favor flex: local studies show up to 25% cost savings using flex vs. traditional leasing in Paris.

Parisian operators are also leading on sustainability and wellness – for instance, many spaces feature eco-friendly designs and terraces or gardens for wellness (taking advantage of Paris’s beautiful architecture and courtyards).

In 2025 and beyond, Paris is expected to keep growing its flex footprint, including into its suburbs and secondary cities (e.g. Lyon, Marseille have burgeoning coworking scenes).

Given France’s strong push for “workplace innovation” at the policy and corporate level, flex space has government support too.

DUBAI – Still a Standout in the Middle East

A standout in the Middle East, Dubai’s flex space scene is thriving against the backdrop of a red-hot office market. Dubai’s overall office occupancy is one of the highest in the world – about 92% in early 2025, and forecast to exceed 94% by end of 2025.

This is driven by surging business activity and an influx of companies (and remote workers) drawn by Dubai’s open economy and visa incentives. With such tight traditional office supply – prime office rents jumped 22% in 2024 alone – many firms literally cannot find large office spaces easily.

This supply-demand gap has been a boon for flexible spaces, which act as an immediate solution for companies that need space quickly or for short terms.

International operators like Regus/Spaces and WeWork are present in Dubai, but the city also has homegrown brands (e.g. Astrolabs, Letswork, Hub71 in Abu Dhabi) and a strong serviced office sector.

The government, through free zones like Dubai Internet City and DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre), has also integrated coworking-style hubs as part of their offerings to attract entrepreneurs.

Demand in Dubai’s flex spaces comes from diverse sources: startups (especially in tech, crypto, and media), foreign companies setting up regional offices, and a growing pool of digital nomads and freelancers taking advantage of Dubai’s remote work visa.

With office space scarce, even larger corporations are now taking interim space in flex centers while they await new developments. (Notably, DIFC is adding significant new supply, but much of it is pre-leased given the unrelenting demand.)

As a result, flex space occupancy in Dubai is very high; many centers operate at full capacity or close to it, and membership churn is low because new entrants quickly backfill any departures.

One challenge is that Dubai’s summers are extreme, so operators ensure their spaces are comfortable year-round and often located in accessible, central locations to minimize commutes in the heat.

Looking forward, Dubai’s flex market will likely expand along with the overall growth of the city as a global business hub. New coworking locations are opening not just in the traditional centers (Downtown, Marina) but also in emerging areas and even other Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah) for diversification.

As long as Dubai’s economy stays strong and its pro-business policies continue, flex providers will find a steady stream of customers.

These five cities each illustrate key aspects of the flex revolution.

Of course, many other cities in EMEA & UKI are experiencing their own coworking booms: Manchester and Birmingham in the UK (both seeing double-digit percent growth in flex supply and rising prices as noted, e.g. Birmingham desk costs up 23% YoY amidst shortage), Dublin and Warsaw (attracting U.S. tech firms into flex space), Madrid and Barcelona (with a strong post-pandemic recovery in flex demand), and more.

The common thread is that flexible working is transforming city real estate markets across the board, offering agility and convenience that align with modern work trends.

Outlook for 2025 and Beyond: Flex Becomes Even More Mainstream and Data-Driven in EMEA and UKI

As we look beyond Q1 2025 into the remainder of the year and the rest of the decade, the future of the coworking and flex space industry in EMEA & UKI appears bright, but not without challenges.

The consensus among industry experts and our own in-house data powered by the OfficeRnD FlexIndex is that flexible space is here to stay, and will claim an increasing share of the office market.

In fact, some forecasts suggest that flex space could comprise 20–30% of corporate real estate portfolios by 2030, a remarkable jump from low-single-digits a decade ago.

This “new normal” will see flexible options integrated into how virtually every company plans their workplace strategy..

What’s Next?

The coworking and flex space sector in EMEA & UKI is poised for sustained growth, driven by hybrid work, enterprise demand, and evolving member expectations.

Operators who harness technology, streamline operations, and deliver exceptional experiences will lead the pack.