Highlights of the office market in 2023

Stable rental prices were observed in the office market of Ho Chi Minh in Q2 2023.However, the occupancy rate slightly decreased compared to the previous quarter, with Grade A offices reaching 92% and Grade B offices achieving 75%. Additionally, the average rental prices remained relatively unchanged, with Grade A offices ranging from 41-67 USD/sqm/month and Grade B offices around 36 USD/sqm/month. New projects entering the market in outer CBD areas showed a promising occupancy rate of approximately 20-25%. Furthermore, investor are actively seeking tenants, and it is expected that the occupancy rate will increase in the near future.

Ho Chi Minh City’s office market is likely to witness a transition from a landlord-favorable to a tenant-favorable sector in the new year, according to data released Friday by Knight Frank Vietnam. Capping off a year that proved solid for landlords, this fourth quarter saw moderate year-on-year rent increases for Grade A landlords to the tune of 2.6%, and a positive net absorption mostly coming from the Saigon South sub-market in HCMC, Vietnam’s largest economic hub, according to the real estate firm.

The Covid-19 outbreak caused great disruptions to the Vietnam real estate market in the year 2020 to 2021. However, production and business activities have since gradually regained growth momentum, and the Government's policy to push socio-economic recovery and development has shown positive effects since the beginning of this year. In the first 9 months of 2022, Vietnam attracted about US$15.4 billion in foreign investment, up 16.2% over the same period last year. Real estate investment continues to rank second among sectors attracting the most foreign direct investment with over US$3.5 billion received, accounting for 18,7% of the total amount of investment. GDP in the first nine months of 2022 increased by 8.83% over the same period last year, the highest growth in the past decade. This shows that Vietnam is still among the markets with great potential for investment in the Asia Pacific region.

Total new supply in Hanoi office market is estimated at 103,600 square meters in 2022.

In the next one to two years, the two countries can fully realise the "Dual Goals", which aims at the the milestone of US$100 billion in bilateral trade turnover and total accumulated investment.

If you are looking for a place to work away from home, then coworking spaces and shared office spaces are two popular options to choose from. However, people often mistake the two interchangeably. It is important to distinguish one from another to make an informed decision so keep reading to understand their differences.

The global serviced office market is expected grow from $27.83 billion in 2021 to $33.30 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.7%. The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges. The market is expected to reach $64.06 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 17.8%.

New technologies are changing the way companies work and compete with each other. Technology is not only affecting how companies work but have made an impact in working spaces too. In the past three years, we have seen growing trends of open workspaces and even virtual offices. Although the concepts of virtual offices and open workspaces have some merits and may cater to the needs of working, the traditional concept of ‘the office’ retains many of its benefits

Vietnam will increase regional minimum wages by approximately 6 percent from July 1, 2022. The increase varies from US$140 to US$202 depending on the living expenses in a particular region. Businesses should prepare their budgets given the short notice and incorporate the increased HR costs from July 1 and beyond going forward.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Phu is a district on the rise

Use the right hybrid work tools The best way to support employees in a hybrid work model is to offer them the right tools. By understanding that each person works differently, hybrid managers have a better chance to avoid a toxic productivity environment and improve employees’ mental health when they work from home. For example, managers can run a survey asking for peoples’ preferred working-hours. Another challenge in hybrid work is decision-making. A project can go badly if employees working from home are not considered in the process. Having a transparent way to communicate across departments can improve team accountability. After all, the main goal is to help people to stay motivated and focused at work.

Việt Nam’s GDP growth is forecast to surge from an estimated 2.6 per cent in 2021 to 7.5 per cent in 2022, with resilient manufacturing and a robust rebound in services serving as the driving forces for economic recovery.

Office space for lease in Ho Chi Minh City in the first half of 2022 continued to make a recovery with a total net absorption area of about 21,000 sq.m, equivalent to 38% of 2021, although the new supply remained limited, according to real estate firm CBRE.

The market for leasing offices in HCM City is improving with the bright spot being combined offices as a viable and cost-optimal solution, according to Savills Vietnam.

GDP of Vietnam is expected to rebound to 5.5 percent growth in 2022 in a scenario where the pandemic is under relative control both at home and abroad. The rebound of the economy will be supported by a more accommodating fiscal policy, at least in the first part of 2022.

Once considered a taboo, Napping on the job is now promoted due to its several benefits. Today, more and more companies are encouraging employees for a mid-shift snooze.

By Bloomberg, "Vietnam’s economic growth accelerated in the fourth quarter as manufacturing revived and exports extended their recovery from the pandemic slump earlier this year."