- A CBRE survey found that 80% of companies have RTO policies, but only 17% strictly enforce them, leading to a gap between employer expectations and employee behavior.
- 33% of corporate real estate executives are aiming to boost in-office attendance in 2024, driven by the need for better space utilization and employee engagement.
- Office visits are gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, with cities like Miami and NYC seeing significant recoveries, especially with stricter RTO policies.
According to CBRE’s latest Americas Office Occupier Sentiment Survey, while 80% of companies have implemented return-to-office policies, only 17% actively enforce them.
As reported in CommercialSearch, this disconnect between policy and practice is causing a rift between employer expectations and actual employee behavior. Many organizations are struggling to achieve their desired levels of in-office attendance.
From The Horse’s Mouth
Julie Whelan, CBRE’s global head of occupier research, pointed out that the U.S. office market is gradually stabilizing, but enforcing RTO mandates without addressing employee concerns can lead to negative outcomes.
“Holding employees accountable to mandates can create negative outcomes if employers don’t strive to understand and remedy the barriers blocking more frequent office utilization,” she noted.
Back to The Office
Despite the challenges in enforcement, office attendance is showing signs of recovery. According to Placer.ai, office visits in June 2024 were down just 29.4% compared to the same month in 2019, indicating a slow but steady return to normalcy.
In terms of metros, Miami is leading the way, with office visits down only 9.8%, while NYC has seen a 14.2% decline, largely driven by stricter RTO policies in sectors like finance.
A JLL report also highlighted that tech companies are recognizing the benefits of in-office environments for onboarding, mentorship, and productivity. As a result, many are recalibrating their approach to office space utilization while encouraging more in-office attendance.
Bridging The Gap
CBRE’s survey revealed that 60% of companies expect employees to work in the office at least three days a week. However, only 51% of employees are meeting this expectation.
To address this, 34% of corporate real estate executives plan to boost in-office attendance by refining their policies and optimizing space-sharing strategies to align with evolving utilization patterns.
Expanding Portfolios
As the office market stabilizes, more companies are shifting towards expansion. Indeed, 38% of survey respondents plan to increase their portfolio requirements in 2024, up from 20% last year, signaling a move away from post-pandemic space reduction strategies.
Additionally, companies are increasingly turning to innovative technology, with 40% deploying advanced applications to automate workflows and 43% using AI primarily for lease administration.
While organizations continue to navigate the complexities of balancing RTO policies with employee preferences, the ultimate goal is to create more efficient and effective workplaces that can support long-term growth and stability.
