Offices in the United States are still at about half capacity three years after the onset of the pandemic, with occupancy rates at 40–60 percent of pre-2020 levels, varying by month or location, according to the The Wall Street Journal, citing data from JLL, a property-services firm.
In Europe and the Middle East, offices are at 70–90 percent levels, while Asia has occupancy rates of 80–110 percent, as more people are in the office in some cities today than before the pandemic, said JLL.None of the major American cities tracked by JLL have achieved a high rate of return compared to Europe and Asia so far.
“The United States has borne the brunt of this,” Phil Ryan, director of city futures at JLL, told The Wall Street Journal.
Americans tend to more fond of remote work, compared to their counterparts overseas, and are less likely willing to return to an office environment.
Surveys suggest that larger average living spaces, longer commutes, and a tight labor market are some of the reasons why Americans spend less time in the office than their peers in other regions.
