Budapest, April 10, 2025 – The proportion of time spent working from home is approaching its peak in Hungary – this was revealed by a survey conducted among decision-makers of tenants in office buildings managed by ICON. Three out of four tenants do not plan to increase the number of home office days in the next 1-2 years. International trends are already showing a decline in hybrid work. We spoke with an ICON expert to explore what is expected in the Hungarian office market.
Employees demand it, and many companies are increasingly accommodating it, although some would prefer to tighten the rules around working from home. Among employees with higher education, the percentage of those working remotely has remained largely stable for years. From the 22-23% seen in the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic, it dropped to 18% by 2022, and this figure has remained unchanged in 2024, according to data from the Central Statistical Office (KSH).[1]
This stagnation was confirmed by a comprehensive B2B survey conducted by the independent market research institute NRC[2], which surveyed decision-makers of tenants in office buildings managed by ICON Real Estate Management. According to the respondents, 75%, or three out of four, stated that the current situation will remain unchanged: they do not plan to allow more home office days in the next 1-2 years. Only 4% are considering increasing the number of home office days.
“Hybrid working is not a passing trend but the new reality of work culture – but we are still far from finding the right balance. Employers are increasingly wanting to call employees back to the office, partly for efficiency reasons, and partly to strengthen team cohesion. However, employees are reluctant to give up the flexibility they have fought for in recent years. This contradiction is now reshaping what the concept of the workplace really means – and the role of offices in this equation will be crucial.”
–said Gábor Nagy, Managing Director of ICON Real Estate Management.
The survey results indicate that companies have adapted to maintaining hybrid working long-term: over a quarter (26%) of companies have fewer workstations than employees.
Given international trends – with more and more companies, especially American ones, deciding to bring employees back to the office – changes may soon occur in the Hungarian office market as well, requiring rapid adaptation and flexibility. As a result, facility managers must also prepare for flexibility, as there is already clear demand for office space of varying sizes.
“For more and more tenants, it is becoming a basic expectation that office lease structures align with the company’s business cycles. If the business is expanding, they want to be able to lease extra space quickly – and if it contracts, they want the option to reduce office space. Based on our experience, companies typically want to manage 10-15% of their total leased space flexibly.”
– said Gábor Nagy.
The survey also shows that more companies are realizing that they no longer need an office large enough to accommodate the entire workforce. In adapting to hybrid working, companies are now thinking in terms of flexible, usage-based space utilization.
