In June 2022 Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) launched The AWA Hybrid Working Index to track the development of hybrid working strategies and office attendance over time, across the world.
In its latest finding AWA’s Index has revealed that office attendance is down to 26%, with an average of two thirds of desks staying unused every day. AWA reports that preferred office days have become Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with 88% choosing to work from home on a Friday.
According to the research, office attendance and desk usage is highest in the banking sector, and is lowest in the tech sector. The ratio of desks to employees is higher in North America than in other geographies with 96 desks per 100 employees, compared to 79 desks per 100 in the UK, and 56 per 100 in Latin America.
Interestingly, the survey showed that organisations with hybrid working policies have higher attendance than those who do not. Although in these organisations attendance is still lower than expected at best 42%.
AWA concludes that hybrid working is here to stay. The organisation said: “In the UK, six months after the removal of regulations, people are no longer fearful of contracting COVID from a daily commute, yet they are not returning to pre-covid travel patterns preferring to work Hybrid.”
And added: “Offices in most sectors are under-occupied which, if these trends continue, will result in excess space being re-purposed or sub-let. We believe this will have a profound impact on the property market, which is not currently being recognised by the industry.”
Our take on this: With the new normal being a hybrid model, MPS providers need to adjust to these new opportunities. Is there an opportunity to get into a bigger organisation where the provider is not able to support the whole organisation but maybe the home working segment?
