Start Designing Your Office of the Future

New data highlights workspace trends that will redefine future office spaces.

When return-to-work mandates hit the federal workforce, many government agencies became a test bed for bold policies and reimagined workspace solutions. Across the country, industries continue to experiment with various types of workplace strategies, from remote-first policies, to five-day in-office mandates and everything in between. If anything is certain it’s that we’re all learning to find more comfort in the discomfort of experimentation and change.

Workplace leaders understand that success requires tailored strategies that align with both organizational goals and employee needs – because one size does not fit all. While we’ve seen significant policy moves implemented, and some physical changes to support them, our workspaces are struggling to keep up with the demand for physical environments to support the more rapidly changing policy environment.

Using workplace occupancy and utilization data from over 200 enterprise customers across more than 156 million square feet and 190,000+ spaces, the VergeSense 2025 Workplace Occupancy & Utilization Index describes the office space of the future – with all the nuances and flexibility needed to suit various organizations. Our predictions for the years ahead are based on emerging trends that show no signs of slowing down.

Using real-time data to adjust workplace strategies provides confidence in setting your teams up for success in 2025 and beyond.

Attendance policies will continue to evolve 

Organizations will keep unveiling and adjusting their in-office strategies. Even successful strategies will need continual measurement and refinement. Embracing a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation has allowed companies to overcome challenges, sidestep obstacles, and gradually create more effective workplace experiences. But there’s more work to do.

Despite having more flexible work policies, many employees still work in offices designed for traditional in-person workstyles. In 2024, desks still made up more than half of the space mix (based on capacity), while collaboration spaces made up less than a quarter. Of those meeting rooms, 44% were designed to hold 5+ people – too large to efficiently support small-group collaboration or single video call users. This mismatch presents an opportunity for workplace leaders to adjust room size and layouts to better support employee needs.

Occupancy is set to rise 

As organizations adapt to new work models and tailor spaces to meet employee preferences, we’ll see workplace occupancy increase. Innovative technology and thoughtful workplace design will create environments that further encourage and facilitate in-person collaboration and innovation (both day-to-day and for larger point-in-time gatherings), making the office a commute-worthy destination.

So, what kinds of workspaces do employees actually need? The data reveals a clear pattern in employee behavior: enclosed spaces are getting the most use. In 2024, enclosed spaces like offices (20%,) conference rooms (21.6%,) and collaboration rooms (21.1%) had the highest active time usage. These spaces offer the privacy employees need for meetings and calls, and the room for focused work; and, they’re also the key bottleneck spaces that experience moments of supply shortage in the face of high demand moments throughout the day/ week.

Office sizes will adapt 

While some organizations are still looking at opportunities to reduce their footprints to match lower occupancy trends, others are positioned to begin expanding strategically. This year, it’s all about right-sizing your space and finding the balance between employee needs and cost considerations. The nuances are industry-based as well as regional.

As more organizations return to the office with structured hybrid strategies, Tuesday (11.1% average capacity usage), Wednesday (10.7%), and Thursday (11%) have emerged as the most popular in-office days, with the highest average capacity usage. Meanwhile, Mondays are making a comeback, rising to 8%, compared to consistently low Friday in-office days. These trends reflect more sustainable in-office rhythms and offer operational opportunities.

Comfort and décor will matter more 

Today’s workplaces need to do more than just function—they need to offer a commute-worthy experience. Employees are looking for meaningful, enjoyable in-office interactions, and spaces

that inspire and engage. More than ever, the job-to-be-done of workplace leaders is not just to provide physical space but to provide workplaces that are smarter and more joyful than ever.

This shift has sparked new conversations about what it means to provide a great employee experience. For example, desks and offices have always been a home base for employees throughout the day. And while that’s still true, nearly one-third of total time usage is passive. With data, it is easy to calculate the time and dollars dedicated to this passive demand as opposed to active and vacant activity. Depending on the desking and attendance strategy, we may see workplace leaders taking a stronger stance on how passive use fits into the real estate equation. The job-to-be-done for our decision-makers is about balancing the experience and efficiency at a time when being smart with real estate spend is taking critical priority on budget sheets.

Data will guide space decisions 

As organizations fine-tune their real estate strategies, data is becoming a cornerstone of decision-making. We’re seeing more companies turn to occupancy sensors, digital tools, and analytics to understand how employees use different types of spaces – and to use real-time data to determine where to expand or contract and how to design appealing, cost-effective environments. When we see organizations flex and build the muscle of new metrics for real estate planning, faster decision making – with confidence – follows.

Our Index reports track trends in space design and utilization among global customers across eight major industries. While analyzing your own occupancy data is the most effective way to optimize your space for your own nuances, these broad insights can help you streamline efficiency and eliminate common pain points.

We know that one size doesn’t fit all. By leveraging data to adjust to new realities, workplace leaders can ensure their spaces support – not hinder – their workplace policies.

Written by Izzy Cannell.
Have you read?
Countries with the most gold reserves.
World’s Best Public Relations Agencies (Top PR Firms).
Countries with the highest human freedom.
World’s Safest & Most Dangerous Countries For Travelers.
Longest and Shortest Life Expectancies in the World.