Global Office Occupancy Reaches 'New Normal' at 40%: XY Sense Report

Report shows global workplace attendance stabilized after a 9-point y-o-y increase in 2024. North American utilization lagged the rest of the world at 26.5%.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, May 20, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- XY Sense, the most actionable occupancy intelligence platform for corporate real estate teams, today released its latest Workplace Utilization Index (WUI) report for the combined period Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. The comprehensive report revealed that global workplace utilization reached 40% during the six months, representing a substantial nine-point increase from the previous year but only a modest 1.5-point gain from the previous six months. Compared to the previous six-month period, the relative stability indicates that workplace utilization has reached a “new normal” across global regions.

The biannual report highlights multiple key findings for corporate real estate professionals:
● UK utilization remains the world’s highest at 51.5% for the combined period.
● In APAC regions, average workplace utilization was 39%.
● US and Canadian utilization are the lowest of all tracked areas, at 27.5% and 24.5%, respectively. Meanwhile, collaboration spaces continued to outperform individual workpoints, with meeting rooms reaching 42% utilization compared to 39% for desks.

"While certain enterprises have made big news trying to bring back 5-day in-office policies, the data shows that overall utilization figures haven’t changed much versus six months ago," said Shivaun Ryan, Head of Customer Success and GM-North America at XY Sense. “It’s positive proof that workplace attendance isn’t something you can simply ‘will to be.’ It requires a combination of strategic policies and incentives that underscore the value of in-office attendance for teams and individuals alike.”

The XY Sense WUI analyzes data from over 59,000 workspaces across 22 countries collected by the company’s real-time entry, area, and small space sensors. This global network of privacy-preserving sensors tracks the presence and location of all individuals in workspaces and updates counts and locations every two seconds.

Offices remained seriously ‘over-desked’ during the period, continuing a trend that began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While we’ve seen a rebound in workplace utilization since then, there’s been a shift in the way the office is used. It’s now a place for collaboration and is becoming more like a hospitality venue. Workers spend most of their time in places other than their desks, like conference rooms, informal seating areas, phone booths, and cafes. The report shows that almost 44% of desks are used for less than one hour daily. The data also revealed substantial inefficiencies in meeting space usage, with most meetings utilizing less than 40% of total room capacity.

"Offices have more desks than our modern work style requires. The real requirement today is for more small, enclosed collaboration rooms. The majority of meetings are for 1 - 3 people, and that is where the changes need to happen. The era of endless rows of desks and large conference rooms is over," said Alex Birch, Co-Founder and CEO of XY Sense. "Organizations leveraging real-time occupancy data can dramatically improve space efficiency, eliminate ghost bookings, present real-time available spaces to employees, and create environments that support how people work in hybrid settings. Companies without these insights aren't just operating inefficiently – they're increasingly at a competitive disadvantage in attracting and retaining top talent."

The full report explores additional workplace trends, including the rise of smart building strategies, weekday utilization patterns, and the growing preference for premium real estate as companies focus on quality environments to attract talent. It also examines various space types and integrations with other proptech solutions, including air quality monitoring, which are driving important gains in workplace experience.

The XY Sense Workplace Utilization Index, launched in 2023, has been featured in dozens of major media publications spanning business, real estate, and technology sectors, including Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, Times of India, and the Australian Financial Review. To see the full report or download a copy, visit www.xysense.com/workplace-utilization-index/

About XY Sense
XY Sense is the actionable occupancy intelligence platform for corporate real estate teams. Our privacy-first, AI-powered Sensors and Workplace Analytics Platform deliver the richest, real-time insights and integration capabilities for workplace teams working to control real estate costs, boost space productivity, and orchestrate office environments that people love. With superior coverage (95 sqm/1000sqft/20 desks), accuracy (<1ft), actionable out-of-the-box analytics, and more sustainable installation capabilities (~80% less cabling required), XY Sense has become the occupancy sensor platform of choice for companies looking to drive ROI from workplace real estate. XY Sense has offices in Australia and the United States and serves customers in 22 countries. For more information, visit xysense.com.

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