Office workers are spending more time in the office, according to a new report.
The average amount of time has crept up to three and a half days a week, according to a report from international law firm Gowling WLG. This is compared to three days in 2022.
The report, titled Strategic moves: why the office is now a business-critical decision, surveyed senior representatives responsible for making office leasing decisions in companies, and a selection of office workers.
It concluded that a more permanent approach to office use is emerging, as the shadow of the pandemic recedes. However, it also judged that the metrics being applied by occupiers are changing.
Social interaction was seen to be the main factor driving the return to the office, with 67% stating this was the primary driver.
Although workers now spend more time in the office, only 50% spend four days or more in the office per week, leaving buildings below capacity for substantial periods.
Felicity Lindsay, head of commercial development and investment at Gowling WLG, said: “The pandemic has unquestionably changed the workplace. In order to address this, employers must adapt their workplaces and make it somewhere that workers want to go, rather than somewhere they are required to go. Factors such as sustainability and wellbeing are now important considerations and are essential for any working environment, in order to keep them occupied and attract the best talent.”
Interestingly, 35% of those aged 18-24 stated that working from an office provided better opportunities for career progression.
Dan Gwilliam, real estate partner at Gowling WLG, added: “Our research is set amongst the backdrop of greater employer demand for employees to attend workplaces more, particularly in the financial services sector. The findings revealed the role younger workers will play in how offices are used in the future, and despite many having not had to work in an office full-time, we know the value they put on working from an office for their career progression. Although a permanent return to the office is unlikely, workplaces must reflect the wants of those working there and give them something more from their workplace.”
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