Growing workplace utilisation reflects expanding hybrid work, office-return mandates
The workplace utilisation rate went up across the world last year, according to a new report, reflecting the growing hybrid work and return-to-office initiatives among employers.
The latest XY Sense Workplace Utilization Index Q3 2024 revealed that the global workplace utilisation rate went up to 37%, up by 11 points from the 26% in the same quarter in 2023.
"This positive trend reflects how office life has returned even more strongly in 2024. Hybrid work levels appear to be stable worldwide," the report read.
According to the report, the midweek utilisation rate continues to be much stronger than for Mondays and Fridays.
Tuesdays saw the highest workplace utilisation rate at 45%, while Friday showed the lowest at 24%.
"YoY workplace utilisation was up significantly – +45% yearly on average. Growth rates were higher for Monday and Friday, although off much smaller base figures," the report read.
The Asia-Pacific region recorded a 42% workplace utilisation rate in Q3 2024, a substantial increase from the 27% in the same period in 2023, following strong economic growth in the region and stricter enforcement of hybrid work policies.
The United Kingdom saw utilisation drop to 37% in the third quarter, following rates of 54% in the first quarter and 50% in the second quarter.
"A drop for the period aligns with the typical seasonal dip in European office attendance during the July/August holiday-taking period," the report read. "Utilisation rebounded in September, reaching 50% as workers returned from their summer holidays."
North America also saw its year-over-year workplace utilisation rate go up to 25%, up four points from the previous year.
"Quarterly utilisation decreased slightly from Q2 2024, likely reflecting increased summer vacation-taking," the report read. "Nevertheless, North American utilisation lags behind other reported regions in our sample."
The findings indicate that many workers spend significantly more time in offices than last year, driven strongly by various hybrid work mandates and office-return initiatives from employers.
In 2024, major organisations such as Dell and Amazon announced measures to bring their employees back onsite, either on a hybrid arrangement or on a full-office return.
In fact, data from Flex Index revealed that 32% of employers in the United States have begun requiring their employees to be onsite five days a week.
Another 28%, however, said they are required to be onsite three days a week.
The findings are similar in Australia, where Robert Half data revealed that 36% of employers have begun requiring their staff to be onsite five days a week, which eventually increased to 39% this year.
On the other hand, only 19% of employers require their staff to be onsite three days a week in 2024, which also went up to 20% in 2025.
Nicole Gorton, Director at Robert Half, said their findings show that employers are "back in the driver's seat."
"As employers adapt their work arrangements to meet the evolving needs of their business and their workforce, they are doing so while emphasising in-person collaboration for employee morale, productivity and client service. However, finding the balance between in-office needs and employee wellbeing is instrumental to business success," Gorton said in a statement.
