How to use the final months of 2026 to make better decisions as office rentals tighten globally

A familiar scene plays out in offices around the world. The lease date is fixed, the new floorplan looks finished, and labeled crates have started appearing beside desks. Then someone asks when the servers will be disconnected, who approved the disposal route for old furniture, or whether the landlord has signed off the works. Suddenly, a move that looked organized becomes a race against several different clocks.

If you are thinking about moving offices in 2027, October 2026 is not too early to begin. Office availability is tightening in several important markets, especially for well-located, high-quality space. In many cases, this is the point at which you still have meaningful choices. Early planning gives you time to challenge the brief, understand how people actually use the office and decide what should be moved, reused, refurbished, stored or responsibly cleared.

Why office planning needs more scrutiny in 2026

Over the past two years, many organizations have had to make office decisions in an uneven economy. Businesses are still taking office space, but many are being more selective about location, quality and the amount of space they need. For anyone planning a 2027 move, headline vacancy figures may not tell the whole story. The best buildings can still attract strong demand.

In the UK regional office market, Grade A space represented 74% of take-up in the second quarter of 2026, even though total take-up was below the five-year quarterly average. UK market data also showed overall availability falling for a fifth consecutive quarter. In Dubai, office rents rose 22.9% during 2025 as supply remained constrained, according to the Dubai Office Market Performance report. In Singapore, Grade A CBD rents increased 2.4% in 2025 while vacancy tightened to 4.4%, according to the Singapore Office MarketBeat report.

Waiting may therefore reduce your organization’s chances of securing suitable space, especially if location, fit-out quality, sustainability credentials or a specific handover date matter. Beginning the process now leaves more time to compare staying, renewing, refurbishing and relocating before deadlines start making those decisions for you.

The business case should come first when moving offices

Before looking at floorplans and furniture, decide what the new workplace needs to achieve in 2027 and beyond. A clear brief will help you assess suitable buildings more quickly as availability tightens. This could include supporting a growing team, consolidating space, improving accessibility, reducing operating costs, making collaboration easier or creating a better experience for people who split their time between home and the office.

Agree on a small number of measurable priorities before design and procurement begin. Speak to employees about the tasks they perform, where their current workplace gets in the way and what brings them into the office. Our article on why successful moves start with people explores this in more detail, while our office move checklist provides a practical structure for the project.

Audit what you already own

Moving everything may seem easier, but it can carry old problems into the new office. Build an inventory of furniture, IT equipment, records and specialist assets. Record condition, ownership, security needs and the intended route for each item. For each item, decide whether to move, repair, resell, donate, recycle, securely destroy or store it.

An early asset audit can protect the budget, reduce waste and give the design team accurate information about what must fit into the new space. It can also prevent uncertainty over existing assets from slowing down property and design decisions when suitable space becomes available. In Singapore, for example, our Renew Centre supports the repair and refurbishment of office furniture and equipment. In the UK, circular clearance planning can help organizations keep usable assets in use and reduce avoidable waste.

Plan technology as its own workstream

Technology problems are often the first part of a move that employees notice. A late desk is inconvenient. A failed network, missing monitor or inaccessible system can stop someone from working. Create a technology inventory, map dependencies, agree backup and recovery arrangements, and define the order in which equipment will be disconnected, transported, tested and made available.

Include data security and chain of custody in the plan, especially where the move involves sensitive equipment or information. Our six-step guide to moving IT is a useful starting point for IT, facilities and project teams.

What to check when planning office moves across different markets

If your 2027 office move covers more than one country, the overall program needs common standards, reporting and governance. Each location also needs a local compliance plan. Requirements vary by building, lease, scope of work and local authority. Allow time for local professional advice from the beginning rather than trying to add it later. In a tighter market, delays in local approvals or lease decisions can make it harder to keep a preferred building or handover date.

Build the move around continuity

The physical move is usually the shortest part of the program, but it carries the most visible risk. By this stage, there may be little flexibility left if the property search, approvals or fit-out have already taken longer than planned. Plan around critical teams, customer commitments, building access, loading restrictions and out-of-hours working. If it will reduce disruption, move teams in phases. Decide who will handle employee communications, urgent problems and support during the first days in the new office. Test the plan against likely delays, including a late delivery, an approval that has not arrived or technology that is not ready on time.