JLL’s survey indicates that 84% of organizations in Apac have adopted a hybrid programme. However, this is below the global adoption rate of 87%. (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua / EdgeProp Singapore)
The Asia Pacific (Apac) region has an average office space utilisation rate of 55% – the highest in the world. This is according to survey results published in a May research report by international property consultancy JLL. In comparison, the average global utilisation rate is 49%.
This comes despite the widespread adoption of hybrid working practices in the wake of the pandemic. JLL’s survey indicates that 84% of organisations in Apac have adopted a hybrid programme. However, this is below the global adoption rate of 87%.
The Apac region also charted the highest proportion of employees that have returned to a five-day work week in the office at 22%. This is double the proportions in North America, Latin America, and Europe and the Middle East, where between 10% and 11% of workers are fully back in the office.
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On the flipside, Apac has the lowest percentage of employees with a fully remote schedule at 11%, compared to the global average of 14%.
JLL’s report highlights that Apac occupiers are leading the way in terms of effective office space utilisation, with the region recording the lowest discrepancy between its targeted and actual office utilisation rates.
It also has the lowest workplace density globally, with each seat taking up an average of 129 rentable sq ft (RSF). In comparison, the global average stands at 167 RSF for every seat.
“As hybrid working and return to office programmes mature, employers are now looking to develop more regularity in attendance and utilisation,” notes Susheel Koul, CEO of Work Dynamics for Asia Pacific at JLL.
To that extent, being able to plan and manage weekly occupancy patterns will be critical for organisations. According to Koul, new technologies can help companies leverage data to manage their changing needs for office space more accurately. This includes occupancy sensors for workstations and collaboration spaces, real-time analytics and AI capabilities.
According to JLL, 90% of office occupiers in Apac are willing to pay a premium for such tech-enabled spaces.
“By investing in new technologies, leveraging utilisation data, and continuously improving the scale and accuracy of utilisation for workplace management, companies can ensure they are effectively reflecting the workplace’s changing needs,” says Koul.