Scope & Methodology: This report covers the period of Q1 2021, from January 1, 2021 to March 31, 2021. During this time, the Vantage Space platform was used to collect 342,481 observations across 6,436 spaces, in 4 countries. This represents the early phase of return-to-office efforts for many organizations globally.
Our data is collected through visual observations, capturing two types of occupancy: "active" (individuals physically present in a space) and "passive" (signs of life, such as belongings indicating recent use). We combine both active and passive occupancy to calculate our "occupancy figure," which represents the capacity that is not available for use by others.
Global average occupancy in Q1 2021 stood at 50.0%, a decrease of 8.0% from the previous quarter (Q4 2020). Both EMEA (52.0%, -3.0%) and APAC (50.0%, -2.0%) saw moderate declines. Data for the AMER region reported 0% occupancy, suggesting offices in this sample may have been closed during this period or there was a data collection anomaly. This contrasts sharply with the 100% figure reported for AMER in Q4 2020 (which itself might have been based on a very limited or specific sample).
| Region | Average Occupancy (%) |
|---|---|
| Global | 50.0% (-8.0%) |
| EMEA | 52.0% (-3.0%) |
| APAC | 50.0% (-2.0%) |
| AMER | 0.0% (-100.0%) |
Table 1: Average Occupancy by Region. Note: The percentage changes are calculated based on the previous quarter’s data (Q4 2020). AMER data shows 0% for Q1 2021.
Chart 1: Average Occupancy by Region
Space Type Definitions: Because offices vary widely - especially in how each company labels their own spaces - we've standardized our definitions to keep everything clear and consistent. Below you'll see how we define each space category.
Globally, Work Space occupancy saw a slight increase to 52.0% (+1.0% from Q4 2020). Meeting Space occupancy remained stable at 39.0% (0.0% change), while ‘Other’ spaces decreased to 43.0% (-6.0%). Regionally, EMEA reported high Work Space use (63.0%) but low Meeting Space use (16.0%). APAC showed balanced usage across Work (52.0%) and Meeting (40.0%) spaces. AMER reported 0% across all types, consistent with the overall regional data.
| Region | Work Space (%) | Meeting Space (%) | Other Space (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global | 52.0% (+1.0%) | 39.0% (0.0%) | 43.0% (-6.0%) |
| EMEA | 63.0% (+2.0%) | 16.0% (-7.0%) | 52.0% (-3.0%) |
| APAC | 52.0% (-4.0%) | 40.0% (+16.0%) | 43.0% (-5.0%) |
| AMER | 0.0% (0.0%) | 0.0% (-100.0%) | 0.0% (0.0%) |
Table 2: Average Occupancy by Space Type. Note: The percentage changes are calculated based on the previous quarter’s data (Q4 2020). AMER data shows 0% for Q1 2021.
Chart 2: Average Occupancy of Meeting Type Spaces by Region
Chart 3: Average Occupancy of Work Spaces by Region
Analysis of meeting room usage patterns across the regions with available data.
| Region | Average Meeting Size (Attendees) |
|---|---|
| Global | 3.1 (+0.3) |
| EMEA | 3.9 (+1.0) |
| APAC | 3.1 (+0.3) |
| AMER | N/A |
Table 3: Average Meeting Size by Region. Note: The changes are calculated based on the previous quarter’s data (Q4 2020). AMER data not available for Q1 2021.
The average meeting size increased globally to 3.1 attendees (+0.3 compared to Q4 2020). This rise was notable in EMEA (3.9, +1.0) and also seen in APAC (3.1, +0.3). Despite stable overall Meeting Space occupancy globally, the increase in average attendees suggests that when meetings did occur, they involved slightly larger groups than in the previous quarter.
Chart 4: Global Meeting Room Capacity vs Usage
Chart 5: EMEA Meeting Room Capacity vs Usage
Chart 6: APAC Meeting Room Capacity vs Usage
Note: AMER Meeting Room Capacity vs Usage chart is not available as data was 0 for Q1 2021.
The global trend of underutilizing large meeting spaces continued in Q1 2021. Rooms designed for 1-2 people accounted for ~22% of capacity but hosted ~59% of meetings. Conversely, rooms for 8 or more people made up ~26% of capacity but hosted only ~8% of meetings. APAC largely mirrored this global pattern. The EMEA data showed a very different profile, dominated by large rooms (8 and 10+ person capacity making up 100% of the reported capacity in that specific sample) hosting predominantly smaller meetings (1-3 people making up ~54% of observed meetings). This highlights significant regional variations and potential mismatches in space provision versus actual collaborative needs.
Q1 2021 presented a mixed picture of workplace occupancy. While global average occupancy decreased to 50.0% compared to the end of 2020, Work Space utilization saw a slight uptick, and Meeting Space occupancy held steady. ‘Other’ spaces saw less use. The average number of attendees per meeting increased, suggesting a shift towards slightly larger group collaborations, even as overall meeting frequency might not have changed significantly. Regional differences were stark, particularly with AMER showing no occupancy in this dataset, and EMEA/APAC displaying distinct patterns in both overall occupancy and meeting room usage. The persistent underutilization of large meeting rooms globally underscores the ongoing need for organizations to align their space portfolios with evolving hybrid work patterns and collaboration styles.
About Vantage Space: Vantage Space is the world's leading workplace occupancy study app, designed to empower organizations with data-driven insights into their workplace usage. Simple to set up, easy to use, Vantage Space enables workplace leaders to gather the data they need to make strategic decisions about space planning and design.
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