Number of offices open hits highest since the start of the pandemic

Data from workplace technology company, Freespace, has revealed that the number of offices open in both the UK and London has reached figures not seen since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Figures from The Freespace Index show that on Tuesday 8^th March 93 per cent of offices in the UK were open, and 88 per cent were open across London. 

The Freespace Index which considers offices with an occupancy of more than 10 per cent actively open, also revealed that the average office occupancy in the UK on Tuesday 8^th March was 39 per cent and in London 40 per cent, both reaching levels not seen since Autumn 2021.

Raj Krishnamurthy, Freespace CEO commented: “The conversation continues to shift in regards to the return to work, and it seems there’s still plenty of life in the office yet.

“We are heading in a positive direction with occupancy, but this is now become more purposeful in terms of how people want to work, what spaces they are using, and what the overall purpose of the office is. To have the opportunity to define how this should evolve is an exciting prospect allowing organisations to tailor the workplace to accommodate the needs of their employees who have adapted well to a hybrid model. Employees are looking for organisations where the technology, infrastructure and culture addresses their need for professional development, personal wellbeing and social responsibility. Smart employers will interpret workplace data to respond to changing needs while also providing tools that use such data to positively empower their employees at work.”

Freespace has over 120,000 workplace sensors deployed in corporate offices worldwide that measure occupancy and environmental conditions. Its anonymous data provides an insight into working patterns, environments and office utilisation, supporting new ways of working across 130 cities, in 80 countries, and five continents.