Average UK office attendance ‘settling’ at highest level since before Covid

Figure above 40% every week since early January as report says situation ‘no longer in freefall nor in recovery’ Workers are heading back to offices across the UK in droves, pushing office occupancy to the highest since before the Covid-19 pandemic, as an expert described the numbers as “no longer in freefall nor in recovery mode but settling”. Investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chasehave led the push with strict return-to-office mandates despite anger among many employees about being ordered back to the office five days a week. Companies in other sectors have also increased days in the office but many businesses, including law and accounting firms, still allow staff to work remotely two days a week. Average office attendance in the UK has been above 40% every week since early January, reaching 44.2% in the week to 13 February, according to Remit Consulting’s ReTurn report. That was the highest since the Covid outbreak in March 2020, which led to the first nationwide lockdown. Attendance dipped to 42.2% in the week to 20 February because of the half-term holiday, and rose to 44.1% the week after. Office occupancy varied between the nine cities tracked by