A recent report by Australian workplace sensor provider XY Sense has revealed that over a third of office desks across the globe remain unoccupied throughout the entire workweek. This trend is prompting discussions about the adequacy of current workplace designs, particularly as companies grapple with the challenge of encouraging employees to return to physical offices.

According to the report, approximately 36% of workpoints, including cubicles and desks, see no occupancy, suggesting an apparent oversupply of such spaces. Among the desks that are used, 29% are occupied for three hours or less on any given day. In contrast, only 14% of desks are utilized for five or more hours. The study, which monitored 24,855 distinct work areas in nine different regions including the US, UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore, also highlighted that meeting rooms designed for two or three individuals experience the highest usage rate, with an average of 90% occupancy. In total, office utilization remains at around 50% of the levels observed before the pandemic.