European employees are returning to the office less frequently than their counterparts elsewhere in the world, according to new analysis by Colliers based on data from the Basking.io platform. While four to five days a week in the office has become the norm in Latin America (46%), Asia-Pacific (41%) and North America (38%), the most common pattern in Europe remains two to three days a week, with 41% of EMEA employees following this model. That said, the share of EMEA employees attending four to five days a week has nearly doubled since 2024, rising from 15% to 26%.
Despite lower attendance frequency, Europeans who do go into the office tend to stay longer. More than half of office visits in the EMEA region last seven hours or more. Central and Eastern Europe and the United Kingdom lead the European rankings with a weekly peak occupancy rate of 35%, ahead of Western Europe at 32%, Southern Europe at 28% and Northern Europe at 27%. The EMEA regional average stands at 30%, though this figure was pulled down by the Middle East, where occupancy averaged just 16% for the quarter following a sharp decline from early March.
"The return-to-office policies that many companies introduced last year are clearly reflected in the data. At the same time, however, Europe shows that both employees and companies view the hybrid model as a permanent arrangement, not a temporary pandemic-era solution. The number of people who go to the office almost every day is growing, but a large group still adjusts their office presence to current needs," said Jana Vlková, director of Colliers' Workplace Advisory and Office Agency departments and company partner.
In Central and Eastern Europe, 44% of employees primarily attend the office two to three days a week, the highest proportion in Europe, while 24% come in four to five days a week. The United Kingdom has the highest share of near-daily attendees at 29%, whereas Southern Europe has the lowest at 18%, with 42% of employees there coming in only once a week. "Three years ago, the Czech Republic ranked in the middle of the pack for office occupancy. Today, our region leads in office occupancy. Companies here use offices more intensively, even though working fully from the office remains a minority choice," Vlková added.
The distribution of attendance across the working week is also evening out. In 2023, Tuesday was the busiest day by a clear margin. By 2026, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each account for 22% of EMEA visits, with Monday close behind at 20%. Friday remains the quietest day at 15%.
"When attendance is spread more evenly throughout the week and people stay in the office all day, it's no longer enough to size offices solely on Tuesday or Wednesday peaks. Facilities for all-day stays are becoming more important: from spaces for focused work to kitchenettes and relaxation areas. We expect companies to reorganize their space around how people actually use it rather than cutting it across the board," Vlková concluded.
