⭐ SEE THE SPACE – STS Office’s perspective on how workplace leasing strategy will transform as technology becomes deeply embedded in daily operations
2026 will be the year companies “redesign” their offices for the second time.
Not because of trends.
But because three powerful forces are reshaping everything: rising costs, clearer data, and rapidly shifting employee expectations.
- AI doesn’t replace architects — it empowers companies to make decisions faster, more accurately, and with far less risk.
- Data is the key to reducing costs without sacrificing employee experience.
Over the past two years, many Vietnamese companies have gone through their first wave of office transformation — downsizing, shifting to hybrid, or changing layouts.
But as we enter 2026, the shift will go much further.
Below are the 3 Workplace Trends that companies simply cannot ignore:
1. AI-driven Office Layout – Designing with data, not intuition
Companies are completely rethinking how they make decisions about workspace.
Instead of:
- Layouts based on legacy habits
- Decisions driven by subjective opinions
- Space planning using outdated “traditional standards”
2026 will be about:
- Using AI to simulate hundreds of space-usage scenarios
- Optimizing circulation, natural light, and seating density
- Predicting actual utilization for each area
The results are clear:
👉 Companies can cut 10–30% of wasted space while improving the employee experience.
2. Hybrid 3.0 – Every activity has its own space
Hybrid 1.0: Work from home as needed
Hybrid 2.0: Go to the office 2–3 days per week
Hybrid 3.0 (2026):
👉 Activity-based Working — offices designed around behaviors, not departments.
What this means:
- Focused work → Focus Zone
- Teamwork → Collaboration Zone
- Client calls → Phone Booth
- Brainstorming → Ideation Zone
Space is shaped by activities — not by assigning everyone a fixed seat.
Market surveys consistently show:
🔥 25–40% productivity increase
🔥 Fewer conflicts and distractions
🔥 Stronger employee satisfaction
Hybrid is no longer about “coming to the office less.”
It’s about optimizing experience and performance.
3. Data-first Workplace – Treating office space as a strategic asset
In 2026, companies will treat the workplace as a dynamic operating system — not a static real estate cost.
Data will answer:
- Which areas are underutilized?
- Which meeting rooms are overloaded?
- What percentage of employees come in daily?
- Is there enough space for fast-growing teams?
And most importantly:
👉 Decisions on expansion, reduction, or restructuring will be made based on data, not gut feeling.
Once companies invest in occupancy tracking, they often discover surprising insights:
- Some meeting rooms are almost never used.
- Teams that “need fixed seats” actually occupy them only 40–50%.
- Areas are crowded in the morning but empty after 3 PM.
🔎 Conclusion: 2026 – the year workplaces become a “strategic asset”
CEOs are no longer asking: ❌ “How much office space do we need?”
They’re asking:
✔ “How does our office support business strategy?”
✔ “Are we optimizing costs?”
✔ “Do employees actually want to come in?”
2026 will be the year companies:
- Optimize space intelligently
- Elevate employee experience
- Improve performance through design
- Leverage technology for every decision
👉 The workplace is no longer a fixed cost. It becomes a competitive advantage.
Which trend do you think will impact Vietnamese companies the most in 2026?
