Research finds UK office attendance and desk use up but desk provision down

UK offices provide just 56 desks per 100 employees on average according to the latest Hybrid Working Index from leading global workplace management consultancy AWA. The study, undertaken during the second quarter of 2024, comprising 34 offices, 14 organisations and a total population of 39,433 in the UK, found that organisations have shrunk their desk provision since the first index was published in July 2022, when the ratio was 79 desks per 100 employees.

This decrease in desk provision suggests that organisations are fully committed to hybrid working but must now work harder to both maximise office use and optimise the space they have. AWA’s fourth Hybrid Working Index revealed that UK workers are now going into the office 1.65 days per week on average, up marginally from 1.5 days in July 2022, while desk usage has seen a more significant increase from 33 per cent to 49 per cent. Both attendance and desk usage are highest on Tuesdays.

The increase in office attendance and reduction in office space could also explain AWA’s discovery that organisations may have reduced their real estate footprint as far as they can post-pandemic. Just 13 per cent are still considering downsizing on space, compared with 37 per cent when respondents were asked the same question in the previous index, published in August 2023.

Despite many recent stories in the media of large organisations, such as Amazon and McKinsey, demanding their employees spend more time in the office, AWA’s research has found that in-office mandates have decreased. The findings revealed that 18 per cent of UK organisations are now mandating in-office days, a decrease from the first index, when 49 per cent were mandating at least one day in the office for employees.

Andrew Mawson, AWA founder, said: “Our fourth hybrid index has shown that most organisations have fully bought into hybrid working and flexible working strategies that maximise the use of the office space they have left. Now, the pressure is on property and facilities management professionals to ensure they provide offices where employees can not only find the room and amenities to do their work but also thrive in environments that cater to their needs, support their wellbeing, and bring the best version of themselves.”

The main findings from AWA’s fourth Hybrid Working Index include:

• Average weekly attendance in UK offices has risen only slightly since the first index, from 29% to 33%. Desk usage, on the other hand, has increased from 33% to 49%
• As office attendance has barely risen, the reason for the rise in desk usage is likely to be a reduction in desk provision. The average UK office now offers 56 desks per 100 people, compared with 79 desks per 100 people in July 2022.
• Attendance and desk usage are highest on Tuesdays (43%), compared with 28% on Mondays, 39% on Wednesdays, 38% on Thursdays, and 18% on Fridays
• Just 13% of UK organisations are still considering downsizing their office space, signalling that the post-pandemic rush to reduce real estate may have stabilised
• Only 18% of UK organisations are mandating in-office days, a 22-percentage point drop since the first Hybrid Working Index in July 2022. The most popular solution is no policy at all (65%), followed by ‘decide by team’ (18%), and mandates of at least one in-office day (18%)

Mawson said: “Office attendance may have climbed slightly but it is still significantly lower when compared to historic levels. Our data shows that organisations may have reduced their real estate as far as they can. Now smart, progressive leaders need to optimise their spaces, maximise office utilisation, encourage greater social cohesion and trust, and boost organisational performance.”

The full report can be found here: https://bit.ly/4geEQJd