Digitalization: disillusionment among real estate managers
According to a Drees & Sommer survey of real estate managers in the DACH region, confidence in digitalization is declining, while the topic of employee training is gaining in importance.
The German real estate service provider Drees & Sommer surveyed 300 real estate managers in corporate real estate management (CREM) departments in the DACH region for a "Real Estate Management Trend Study" and found that the topic of digitalization is losing its appeal. "Digitalization, long celebrated as the key to efficiency, is now more of a source of disillusionment," writes Drees & Sommer. It is true that 82 % of respondents still see potential in digital solutions - particularly in more efficient workflows (82 %) and optimized processes (71 %). However, confidence is falling compared to the previous year. Only 14 % still believe that digitalization can open up new business models (previous year: 23 %).
"Many digital concepts currently fail at the proof of concept stage," says Bernd Fisel, one of the authors of the study. There is often a lack of concrete implementation and stringent project planning. The result is less trust in short-term digitalization successes and a stronger focus on quality. This development is also reflected in the assessment of service quality: around two thirds of respondents currently see great potential for improvement here - 15 percentage points more than in the previous year.
Focus on qualification instead of digitalization
While digitalization was the most frequently cited strategy against the shortage of skilled workers last year, the focus in 2025 will be on a different lever: 75% of companies are now focusing on targeted training and further education to alleviate staff shortages in the long term. "That is a clear signal," says Fisel. "The industry has recognized that sustainable solutions only work through qualification and knowledge building." More and more companies are therefore investing in individual training programs, in-service training and the promotion of talent from within their own ranks. "In this way, they not only want to alleviate the current bottlenecks, but also make their workforce fit for the future - especially in times when digitalization alone cannot solve all challenges."
When it comes to corporate real estate management, the majority of companies still prefer centralized structures. Two thirds (66 %) organize their real estate tasks centrally - similar to the previous year (65 %). In facility management, the regional allocation of services remains the dominant model at 51 %. Object-based contracts are becoming less important (41 %; previous year: 58 %), as is global contracting (currently 12 %).
The study was conducted in May in sectors such as industry, real estate, finance and insurance, trade, chemicals and raw materials. The company sizes range from SMEs to large corporations.
