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Office utilization rises as employers redesign for collaboration, CBRE says

CBRE data shows office utilization climbed to 53% in 2025 from 38% in 2024, with desk sharing and flexible strategies pushing average occupancy to 111%.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Commercial

Office utilization increased sharply in 2025, according to CBRE’s 2026 “Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights” survey, with utilization rising to 53% from 38% a year earlier, ConnectCRE reports.

The report said peak utilization reached 80%, and average occupancy climbed to 111%, reflecting more desk sharing and flexible workplace approaches rather than a simple return-to-office mandate.

CBRE’s workplace strategy emphasis is shifting away from providing individual workstations toward fostering interaction, with the strongest attendance gains tied to spaces designed for affiliation, collaboration, culture and performance, ConnectCRE reports.

Among survey respondents, 93% cited colleague collaboration as a main reason for coming into the office, followed by in-person meetings at 90% and social interaction and team building at 89%.

ConnectCRE also notes that between 2021 and 2025, space devoted to individual workstations fell from 56% to 35% of workplace space, while collaborative areas expanded from 12% to 56%.

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