Vantage Space Global Trends Report: Q4 2024

1: Global Average Occupancy

Q4 2024 witnessed a significant rebound in workplace occupancy following the dip observed in Q3. The global average occupancy surged to 41.0%, marking a substantial 9.0 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. EMEA and AMER led the recovery, climbing 13.0 and 10.0 points to reach 42.0% and 36.0% respectively, suggesting a strong return to office presence towards the year’s end. APAC also saw growth, albeit more moderate, rising 6.0 points to 43.0% and maintaining its position as the region with the highest average occupancy. This widespread recovery indicates a potential stabilization or adjustment in hybrid work patterns as organizations conclude the year.

Table 1: Average Occupancy by Region. Note: The percentage changes are calculated based on the previous quarter’s data.

2: Average Occupancy by Space Type

The recovery in Q4 extended across all space types globally. Meeting space occupancy saw the most dramatic rise, jumping 15.0 percentage points to 36.0%, indicating renewed emphasis on in-person collaboration. Work space occupancy increased by 10.0 points to 43.0%, while ‘Other’ spaces also saw a healthy 5.0 point gain to 48.0%. Regionally, AMER displayed a remarkable turnaround, with meeting spaces surging 21.0 points and ‘Other’ spaces climbing 23.0 points. EMEA also showed strong gains, particularly in work spaces (+17.0 points). APAC’s growth was driven significantly by increased meeting space use (+21.0 points), while work space occupancy saw a more modest rise.

Table 2: Average Occupancy by Space Type. Note: The percentage changes are calculated based on the previous quarter’s data.

3: Meeting Room Occupancy

Meeting rooms are spaces designed for collaborative activities, such as team meetings or client presentations. Despite the rise in overall meeting space occupancy this quarter, the trend of using larger rooms for smaller groups persists, signaling ongoing inefficiencies in spatial allocation.

Table 3: Average Meeting Size by Region. Note: The changes are calculated based on the previous quarter’s data.

Interestingly, while meeting space utilization increased, the average meeting size continued to decline globally, dropping by 0.5 attendees to 2.2. All regions experienced this trend, with AMER seeing the most significant decrease (-0.6 attendees) to an average of just 1.8 people per meeting. This further emphasizes the growing prevalence of small, often hybrid, collaboration sessions, even as overall meeting activity picks up.

The mismatch between meeting room provision and usage remains stark. Globally, over 50% of meeting rooms are designed for 5 or more people, yet a staggering 78% of observed meetings consist of just one or two attendees. This inefficiency is most acute in AMER, where nearly 70% of meetings involve only one person, despite less than 14% of rooms being sized accordingly. Organizations continue to face the challenge of rightsizing their meeting room inventory to better support prevailing collaboration patterns, favoring smaller, tech-enabled spaces for focused group work and hybrid interactions.

Conclusion

Concluding 2024, the Q4 data suggests a workplace landscape actively recalibrating after the fluctuations seen earlier in the year. The strong rebound in occupancy across regions points towards organizations and employees finding a more stable rhythm in their hybrid and in-office routines. However, the persistent decline in average meeting size, coupled with the underutilization of larger meeting rooms, underscores a critical disconnect. As we move into 2025, the focus for workplace leaders should remain on adapting physical spaces to support actual behaviors—prioritizing smaller, flexible collaboration zones and leveraging utilization data to optimize portfolio efficiency and enhance employee experience in an evolving work environment.