Return to the Office? Don't Bank On It

The much-awaited/dreaded (insert as appropriate) return to the office is far from complete, and in a large number of companies and sectors is unlikely to ever really take place.

According to a June/July survey by Advanced Workplace Associates in 13 countries, 13 sectors, 28 organizations and 79 offices (representing 77,410 employees), "average attendance in offices is just 26 percent, with peaks in the middle of the week of no more than a third of employees in the office." As this infographic highlights, the difference in attendance varies widely from sector to sector.

Banking reported the highest average attendance rates with a total of 47 percent, while at the other end of the scale is logistics and tech. The latter has generated media attention over the last few months. Giants of the industry such as Google, Apple and Tesla have each been struggling to engineer a solution which simultaneously satisfies the companies' desire to get their employees back at their desks, as well as the seemingly large shares of their workforces which would rather maintain the new status quo of remote or hybrid working.