According to a recent report by global real estate consultancy JLL, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region boasts the highest office utilization rates in the world, with an average utilization rate of 55%. This figure surpasses the global average of 49%, underscoring the region’s strong return to office culture post-pandemic.
One notable finding from JLL’s research is that 90% of office occupants in APAC are willing to pay a premium for technology-enabled workspaces. The ability to plan and manage weekly occupancy patterns is becoming increasingly important for organizations in the region.
According to Susheel Koul, CEO of Work Dynamics for Asia Pacific at JLL, new technologies are helping businesses use data more effectively to manage their evolving workplace needs. This includes features like occupancy alerts for workstations and collaboration spaces, as well as real-time analytics and AI capabilities.
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“As hybrid work models and return-to-office programs continue to evolve, companies are now focusing on creating more consistency in attendance and utilization,” says Koul.
Despite the widespread adoption of hybrid work strategies following the pandemic, JLL’s survey reveals that 84% of organizations in APAC have implemented some form of hybrid work program, slightly below the global adoption rate of 87%. However, APAC stands out with the lowest percentage of employees on a fully remote schedule, at just 11%, compared to the global average of 14%.
Interestingly, the APAC region also has the highest proportion of employees who have returned to a five-day workweek in the office, with 22% fully back in the workplace. This figure is double that of North America, Latin America, and Europe and the Middle East, where only 10% to 11% of workers have returned to the office full-time.
JLL’s report highlights that APAC is leading the way in effective office utilization, with the region showing the smallest gap between targeted and actual office utilization rates. Koul notes that by investing in new systems, leveraging utilization data, and continuously refining the scale and accuracy of workplace management, companies can better align with the evolving demands of the workplace.
Moreover, the report points out that APAC has the lowest workplace density globally, with each seat occupying an average of 129 rentable square feet (RSF), compared to the global average of 167 RSF per seat. This suggests that APAC workplaces are not only more efficiently utilized but also more spacious than their global counterparts.