U.S. companies made notable headway in getting employees back to office workplaces last year, reaching attendance levels not seen since early 2020, when the pandemic first disrupted conventional work models. A forthcoming report by CBRE (NYSE:CBRE), based on a survey of 184 companies, reveals that nearly 75% of these organizations met their attendance goals in the past year, up from 61% the previous year. This marks one of the most significant improvements in employee office return efforts since the onset of the pandemic.
This uptick in attendance is mirrored by growing efforts among companies to monitor and enforce attendance policies. The proportion of companies tracking attendance rose substantially to 69% from 45% a year earlier, while those actively enforcing attendance rules more than doubled, climbing from 17% to 37%. On average, businesses now expect employees to be onsite around three days per week, though actual attendance still slightly lags behind these targets.
Manish Kashyap, CBRE’s president of leasing, commented that while the past couple of years had seen relaxed approaches, companies have now refined their policies to support hybrid work while improving execution and enforcement. This balance appears to be encouraging more consistent office presence without sacrificing flexibility.
Beyond attendance, the survey also points to a shift in companies’ office space strategies. More are planning to expand rather than reduce their physical office footprints. Approximately two-thirds of surveyed firms (67%) intend to maintain or grow their office spaces within the next three years, an increase from 64% previously. Conversely, those planning to downsize fell from 53% last year to around one-third in the current report.
The growing optimism around office space is fueled by factors including expected business growth, evolving workplace design standards that accommodate hybrid work patterns, and efforts to reverse pandemic-era space reductions. Julie Whelan, CBRE’s global head of occupier research, suggested these trends may signal that the peak of office downsizing is behind us.
However, some caution remains as vacancy rates hover around 18.9% nationally, close to a 30-year high. Concerns persist about the availability of high-quality office spaces, especially in prime locations that take up a small fraction of the market but have notably lower vacancy rates. This has led employers to prioritize quality and efficiency over pure square footage, focusing on collaborative work areas and amenities designed to boost workplace experience.
Supporting this, many companies are also rethinking the design and use of their office environments. Moves toward more activity-based workspaces, more amenities, and better food and beverage options are among the approaches being used to entice employees back. Social and event programming is another area seeing investment as businesses seek to rebuild interpersonal connections and vibrancy in the office.
Despite economic uncertainties such as tariffs and broader concerns, more companies are entering into long-term leases, indicating increased confidence in their office needs. This is especially true among smaller firms, where leasing activity remains robust and plans for portfolio expansion outpace contraction.
Overall, the CBRE report illustrates a business landscape in the midst of realigning its work strategies after years of pandemic disruption. While hybrid work remains integral, many companies are redefining the purpose and design of office spaces as hubs for collaboration and innovation, backed by clearer policies and more consistent enforcement around attendance.
This evolving dynamic, combining employee flexibility with renewed office presence, suggests a more settled approach to workplace strategy may be taking shape for the foreseeable future.
