Coworking Trends in 2026

With the new year upon us, it’s the perfect time to tackle some of the biggest questions driving the flexible workspace sector in 2026.
In our recent Coworking Trends 2026 webinar, we were joined by an expert lineup of panellists, including:
● Geoffroy Speybrouck, CEO at Siversquare
● Joachim Gripp, CEO at Design Offices
● Tom Redmayne, SVP, Head of Europe & Global Sales at Industrious
● Greg Miley, CCO at Clockwise
● Phoebe Reilly, Director and Head of Landlord Flex Consulting at Colliers
● Samuel Warren, Sales & Marketing Director, UK & Europe, at technologywithin, moderated the discussion.
Let’s find out what the coworking trends for the year ahead look like.

Trend 1: Tapping into corporate demand

What’s one of the biggest opportunities for the flexible workspace sector in 2026? According to the panellists, it’s corporate demand.

Companies view flex as a solution to reduce long-term lease commitments, helping them save on costs, says Phoebe Reilly. At the same time, Greg Miley expects we’ll see growing demand from corporates for “fluid access” to flex space, urging operators to seize the opportunity.

In last year’s trends piece, we reported that a third of companies used flexible workspaces in 2024, with more looking to increase their flex footprint. Today, corporations see flex space as part of their return to workplace strategy, says Tom Redmayne, who, in the coming months, is looking forward to working with corporates to deliver something more experiential at Industrious.

What constitutes a next-level space isn’t simply a “cool space,” says Geoffroy Speybrouck, advising operators to deliver reliability, scalability, security, and service to meet corporate demand. Geoffroy reckons that the biggest opportunity in 2026 is the “further professionalism of flex as a service layer in office real estate.”

Over in Germany, Joachim Gripp hasn’t seen corporate demand surge yet. The market remains about a third smaller than it was before COVID, as companies simply aren’t moving. This year, Design Offices plans to gather a better understanding of corporate decision-making and increase the awareness of flex and its opportunities.

Although the panel were largely optimistic about the opportunities in 2026, they warned of the challenges ahead. The business rates tax brings obstacles, says Phoebe, and “leasing is making a comeback, especially in the UK.”

Trend 2: Fewer mergers, more management deals

Fewer new operators entered the UK flex market last year, but the experts don’t think we’ll see more big mergers or buyouts in the near future.

Industrious, for example, has been involved in several mergers and acquisitions, with mixed results. Tom Redmayne warns that integrating technology, brand, and customers can be difficult to do well, especially for customers with short-term cycles who may leave.

Consolidation might not be on the cards this year, but what about management agreements – a huge industry talking point last year, making up an impressive 67% of UK flex leases at the end of Q1 2025.

There is more confidence in management agreements than before, especially in London. But in Europe, Phoebe Reilly finds “conversations with landlords a bit trickier to get themselves around what sharing the profit and upside looks like; they’re still nervous about it.” She urges credible operators to see the opportunity and test the waters in the European market. Last year, Clockwise opened The Louise in Brussels under a management agreement in Q4, and Industrious announced its German expansion under management agreements in Q1.

Industrious “pioneer management agreement or hybrid models,” says Tom, but he admits there are challenges in the current market. Geoffroy Speybrouck sums this trend up: “Our industry is still struggling to find that operating model.”

Trend 3: Winning in new markets

Although Clockwise and Industrious opened in Tier 2 cities, such as Brussels, the panel largely agree that Tier 1 cities, such as London and Amsterdam, will reign supreme in 2026.

If a flex brand is considering a new location, “it has to be the right micro location within those markets,” says Tom Redmayne. The UK remains Industrious’ biggest market, but the company is eyeing expansion across Europe, opening in Frankfurt in the coming weeks. While expansion to Munich is on the radar, Tom emphasises that any new market must align strategically with the brand’s goals.

Greg Miley agrees: “You can be hoodwinked into a huge growing market…but the numbers don’t work.” Although it’s hard to pinpoint which specific markets to target for growth, Greg recommends premium flex brands look at where corporates have satellites. Clockwise doesn’t position itself specifically at enterprise level, but its UK expansion has focussed more on regional markets.

However, Phoebe Reilly’s view is that the numbers don’t stack up in the regional market. Lower rental yields and soaring fit-out costs are “squeezing the margins” for landlords, resulting in less appetite. Similarly, Joachim Gripp has seen smaller sites in Germany’s regions face insolvencies, before getting rescued by bigger brands that don’t invest in them, only “deepening the ditch” further.

In 2026, expect to see continued growth in large commercial markets. When considering a new market, Geoffroy Speybrouck advises: “finding the sweet spot for those local markets,” adapting proposals to different business specifics, and focussing on solving the customer’s problems.

Trend 4: Smarter spaces through technology

While location contributes to a premium workspace, connectivity can create a “fantastic work environment” in flex, according to Joachim Gripp.

Companies unfamiliar with coworking view the model as “sharing everything involuntarily.” But once they realise they can run their business professionally, cybersecurity becomes a top priority. Best-in-class tech infrastructure is a non-negotiable at Design Offices, which underwent screening by the German armed forces, earning what Joachim describes as “the best certification I can ever get” to demonstrate trustworthiness and security standards.

Meanwhile, the panel felt that some technology solutions could be left behind in 2025. Greg Miley describes sensors at desks and in different areas as “overhyped” for their lack of insight. However, “being able to enter the space seamlessly…[and] use technology seamlessly” should be standard for premium flex brands. Phoebe Reilly agrees – Colliers use access control data to help occupiers better understand and optimise space utilisation.

At technologywithin, we enable operators to go even deeper by using anonymised WiFi data to understand how members move not only between locations, but also within a space. These insights help operators make smarter, evidence-based decisions around staffing levels, cleaning schedules, design layout, and even dynamic pricing. This turns real usage behaviour into measurable operational and commercial value.

Ultimately, data is power. Geoffroy Speybrouck feels that without logging customer movements in flex spaces, operators are losing potential revenue. As a “strong believer in the meeting room,” Geoffroy believes that operators can implement AI to create better experiences. Likewise, Greg Miley sees these ancillary products as entry points to flex brands, providing “touchpoints for new visibility in your building.”

Summing up coworking in 2026

Asking for their final thoughts, the panel offered fascinating insights into the industry. The following predictions and recommendations for 2026 were shared:

● “There’s never been greater demand from occupiers or landlords for flex…but there are fractures around the supply side, often legacy issues. Things might come to a head increasingly in the next 18-24 months.” – Tom Redmayne (Industrious)
● “We’re waiting for the flood gates to open, and hopefully are ready to navigate them.” – Joachim Gripp (Design Offices)
● “There’s going to be a shift towards the managed product, and landlords doing it themselves. It’s going to be an exciting and challenging year.” – Phoebe Reilly (Colliers)
● “Cautious growth… opportunistic-led growth from an operator perspective.” – Greg Miley (Clockwise)
● “Use 2026 for the flex sector to rewrite the narrative and prove it deserves a permanent place in the broader office market. I’m convinced that demand is there, but what‘s missing is maturity, clarity, and consistency in our sector.” – Geoffroy Speybrouck (Silversquare).

Want to watch the full webinar? Click here!