Boosting organizational performance and CRE credibility through occupancy planning

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the merits of occupancy planning as a means for improving strategic decisions regarding real estate portfolios and strengthening the credibility of corporate real estate (CRE) professionals. Design/methodology/approach – The authors' extensive experience is combined with survey results and case examples of how two global companies are benefiting from occupancy planning. Findings – Occupancy planning programs lead to better data and forecasting, which in turn create a more accurate portfolio‐wide view and improved space utilization. Originality/value – This article demonstrates the link between effective occupancy planning and sound CRE decisions.