Most UK companies now imagine they received their workplace house methods mistaken within the wake of the pandemic. In keeping with The Workplace Occupiers Report 2025 from Irwin Mitchell almost two-thirds of the organisations surveyed now imagine they might have downsized their workplace house an excessive amount of over the previous few years. Consequently, 45 p.c are planning to broaden their workplace footprint inside the subsequent 12 to 18 months, in comparison with simply 10 p.c contemplating additional reductions.
Amongst these aspiring to broaden, almost half (49 p.c) plan to reconfigure their present premises quite than relocate, whereas 23 p.c are considering strikes to new areas. Moreover, 44 p.c are exploring the incorporation of versatile workspace choices into their property portfolios to higher accommodate evolving operational wants.
The survey additionally highlights a resurgence in workplace attendance. Over the previous yr, 72 p.c of employers have noticed a rise in staff working from the workplace, with 74 p.c anticipating additional development within the subsequent 12 to 18 months. This pattern is especially pronounced in London, the place 81 p.c of companies anticipate increased in-office numbers.
In response to those shifts, many corporations are reassessing their workplace layouts and capacities. Solely 33.5 p.c of respondents imagine their present areas can accommodate all employees concurrently, whereas 53 p.c acknowledge that their present setups could be inadequate if all staff returned to the workplace. This has prompted a re-evaluation of each the kind and quantity of house required transferring ahead.
Rising prices are the primary concern for companies, who search larger productiveness from their workplace and employees. When requested about the primary threats looming over the subsequent 12 months, 43 p.c of companies cited rising inflation and better rates of interest – components that improve the price of borrowing. Different issues embrace escalated employment prices and dangers (30 p.c), hostile tax insurance policies (26 p.c), and mounting property prices protecting power, hire, enterprise charges, insurance coverage, and repair fees (21 p.c).
In response to this difficult financial backdrop, corporations seem like “doubling down on efforts to spice up productiveness by maximising the performance of their workplace areas and inspiring face-to-face collaboration”. Most (80 p.c) companies indicated that they’re both at present monitoring particular person workplace attendance or are planning to take action, underscoring the significance of data-driven house planning and the potential to pay attention to what staff are doing.
