Colliers Report Highlights 5 Influences on Office Attendance

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22 April 2025

New research from Colliers Workplace Advisory uses occupancy analytics to determine what influences office attendance.

 

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“Organisations need to rethink how to create dynamic, purpose-driven office environments that encourage in-office presence,” said JanJaap Boogaard, Director and Head of Workplace Advisory (EMEA) at Colliers. 

Using analytics sensors from partner Basking.io, Colliers has assessed data from over 144 offices worldwide: 38 per cent in EMEA, 35 per cent in North America, 17 per cent in LATAM, and 10 per cent in APAC. 

The data shows an average peak occupancy below 40 per cent across EMEA and North America. Whilst this analysis does not establish direct causation, Colliers has identified statistically significant links between particular factors and office attendance.

One factor is the presence of assigned desks. Employees with a guaranteed workspace when present in the office, attend up to 1.3 days more per week. This suggests that knowing they will have a designated space when present in the office makes returning to the office seem more appealling.

A workspace that provides opportunities for both collaboration but also deep focus is also a key motivator. Offices that provide these task-focused workspaces increase attendance by up to 0.6 days per week.

Unsurprisingly, social connection is a major driver of attendance. Employees are significantly more likely to come in when they know their colleagues will be on-site, leading to an increase of up to 0.6 days per week.

“Many have attempted to entice employees back with free meals, attendance-based incentives, and social events, yet research shows these strategies have little to no impact on attendance in the long term,” continued JanJaap. “Nor are employees drawn in by acoustic comfort or open-plan layouts, and leadership presence alone is insufficient unless accompanied by clear expectations.”

 

Routine and Leadership 

 

Interestingly, employees who follow set in-office schedules attend 0.7–1.1 days more per week than those with complete flexibility. This suggests that predictability helps embed attendance into their routines.

Buy-in from leadership also has a critical role in shaping workplace behaviours. When managers signal that office attendance is expected, employees attend up to 0.9 days per week more.

“To truly re-engage staff, businesses must adopt data-driven approaches that address real attendance drivers and significantly boost in-office presence,” said Sven Moller, Director and Head of Nordics Workplace Advisory at Colliers. “Without these factors, offices risk becoming underutilised spaces that fail to deliver the collaborative and dynamic environments employees need to thrive and maintain productivity.”

Picture: a photograph of a person using a laptop and phone, leaning over the computer. A coffee cup and a pair of glasses can also be seen on the desk. Image Credit: Unsplash

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 22 April 2025

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