Office utilization hits highest level since the pandemic, organizations are not fully prepared

New global research confirms that offices are filling back up faster than most organizations are prepared to manage. According to CBRE's 2026 Global Workplace & Occupancy Insights, the global average building utilization rate jumped to 53% in 2025, its highest since pre- pandemic, up from 38% in 2024 and 35% in 2023. Peak utilization now averages 80%, surpassing the 65% target most organizations set.

The high peak utilization suggested employers are succeeding in bringing employees back to the office. The numbers point to a paradox that should give every facility manager pause. Offices are busier than they have been in five years. Increasing utilization is the top goal of 81% of corporate real estate teams, and it is the single most-tracked metric for optimizing portfolios. Meanwhile, the global occupancy rate has reached an all-time high of 111%, meaning more people are allocated to buildings than there are physical seats.  

In other words: more people, fewer seats, sharper peaks, and most organizations still planning around guesswork.

A new way of working deserves a smarter office

‍Hybrid work brought flexibility and changed how teams connect, collaborate, and show up for each other. It is a positive shift, but it demands new thinking and better insight. The latest figures make one thing clear: hybrid is here to stay, settling toward a roughly 50/50 balance in which planning and interconnectivity become decisive. iotspot helps organizations get the most out of every office and every team. For HR and team leaders, that means people who feel connected, plan their days around the colleagues they want to see, and actually look forward to coming in. For facility managers, it means knowing exactly how space is used, so they can cut wasted square metres, lower costs, and decide with confidence instead of guesswork.

iotspot is forecasting how the office will be used

‍Most organizations have no real idea how their office is actually used. iotspot replaces that guesswork with sensor-accurate, real-time occupancy data that shows exactly which desks, floors, and zones are underperforming.

What sets iotspot apart is its investment in specialized software powered by AI. The platform does more than present a detailed data overview of the present. It builds forecasts based on actual usage patterns, anticipating demand before it happens. Instead of reacting to last week's attendance, organizations can plan for next week's peaks, aligning desks, zones, and teams to how the building will really be used. In a market where occupancy now runs at 111% and peaks hit 80%, that shift from hindsight to foresight is the difference between a crowded Tuesday and a well-orchestrated week.

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