Average UK office attendance ‘settling’ at highest level since before Covid

Commuters on their way to work in London. Average office attendance in the UK reached 44.2% in the week to 13 February, according to Remit Consulting’s report. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Workers are heading back to offices across the UK in droves, pushing office occupancy to the highest since before the Covid-19 pandemic, as an expert described the numbers as “no longer in freefall nor in recovery mode but settling”.

Investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chasehave led the push with strict return-to-office mandates despite anger among many employees about being ordered back to the office five days a week. Companies in other sectors have also increased days in the office but many businesses, including law and accounting firms, still allow staff to work remotely two days a week.