Office occupancy rates fluctuate throughout the year due to hybrid schedules and seasonal trends. According to Propmodo data, these fluctuations are clear year-on-year during the summer months.
| Year | June | July | August | September |
| 2022 | 44.2% | 39.6% | 43.8% | 47.5% |
| 2023 | 49.8% | 37.4% | 47.3% | 50.4% |
| 2024 | 51.8% | 41.6% | 47.2% | 52.0% |
The data clearly shows a dip in office occupancy during July, followed by a steady rise in August and September as employees return to the workplace. This seasonal dip may reflect employees taking annual leave, parents working from home more, or people choosing to stay home during warmer weather. Occupancy then rebounds in September as children go back to school and employees settle back into the office for the autumn months.
Freespace data from 2024 echoes this pattern, showing year-on-year fluctuations during the same months:
| Month 2024 | % Offices Returned | Global Occupancy | AMER | EMEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 90% | 35% | 27% | 37% |
| July | 90% | 35% | 32% | 35% |
| August | 89% | 33% | 29% | 32% |
| September | 91% | 35% | 30% | 37% |
In 2024, office occupancy remained steady through June and July before dipping slightly in August. But what challenges does this seasonal increase present for organizations and employees as they navigate higher occupancy levels?
Challenges Organizations Face From the September Peak
Keeping up with seasonal changes can make it difficult for organizations to efficiently manage office space. Some of the key challenges include:
- More People Than Space: With more employees returning, especially on peak mid-week days (Tuesdays to Thursdays), offices often lack enough desks and rooms to accommodate everyone comfortably. This overcrowding leads to employee dissatisfaction and makes it harder to meet individual space preferences.
- Booking Difficulties: Higher demand means meeting rooms, focus areas and preferred desks become harder to reserve. This can reduce employees’ ability to focus, collaborate effectively and ultimately demotivate them from coming into the office.
- Safety Concerns: Overcrowded spaces increase fire loading risks and complicate safe movement throughout the office if not managed properly.
- Air Quality & Well-Being: As occupancy levels rise, maintaining healthy air quality levels becomes critical to support well-being and reduce the risk of illness.
Being prepared and using the right tools to manage your office space can help you avoid these issues and ensure your WFO mandate is ready for the September peak.
How to Manage the September Peak Efficiently
Utilize Desk & Room Booking Software
Desk booking and room booking enables employees returning to the office to book desks or rooms in advance. Not only does this manage their expectations and encourage employees to keep working from the office, but it also helps employers identify which spaces are being used and when.
Consider Employee & Team Preferences
Take your room and desking booking app to the next level with our Hybrid Space Manager. By integrating it with your current software, you can uncover more opportunities to maximize space utilization and efficiency, especially during the September peak.
Our platform considers your employee preferences and team structures and formulates patterns to create the optimal hybrid plan. Even if the office is at full capacity, it enables your workspace to be flexible and support different types of work styles. You can ensure employees are sitting within their teams, on the days that work best for them, and encourage collaboration, enhancing their overall experience.
Implement Workplace Sensors
As mentioned above, an office at full capacity increases the risk of safety concerns and poor air quality. Workplace sensors are helpful tools in collecting data for your office space and alerting you when vital thresholds are breached.
Our ESQ sensors record air quality data, such as levels of dust, dirt and other debris. This way, you can effectively manage your employees’ health and well-being by creating a comfortable working environment.
People counting sensors, like our FLO sensor, ensure high footfall areas are kept clean and compliant. High-traffic days can increase the need for cleaning and maintenance, so these areas can be prioritised by the relevant teams. You can also stay on top of floor level occupancy and maintain people counts for fire loading compliance.
Get Your Office Ready for the September Peak & Beyond
By providing a seamless, flexible and safe in-office experience, you can effectively manage seasonal peaks and high occupancy levels. These tools can help you prepare for the future, by continually measuring, reviewing and refining your hybrid plan. This means your WFO mandate is always complied with and your space is always fully utilized.
Consequently, by managing your office space efficiently, you can also reduce operational costs and maximize real estate ROI. Find out how Freespace can help you deliver this all in one integrated solution by getting in touch with us today.
