Office comeback 

From the empty stillness of 2020 to the growing bustle of 2025, office buildings have been on a rollercoaster of transitions over the last five years. While these spaces may not have recaptured their pre-pandemic levels of demand, data shows that the office sector is healthier than it was a few years ago. 

Office demand is reflected in CBRE data, which shows that net absorption in the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 10.3 million square feet—the highest quarterly total in three years. The overall vacancy rate decreased by 10 basis points to 18.9% as net absorption outpaced construction completions for the second consecutive quarter.

Demand is up significantly thanks to return-to-office mandates. From Amazon to AT&T to Boeing, many large corporate employers are requiring a full return to the office, while others have rolled out a hybrid working model, with a mix of on-site and remote workdays.  

According to Avison Young’s research, U.S. office buildings were 63.3% as busy in March 2025 as they were in March 2019. This is in sharp contrast to the index’s lowest point: 10.3% in April 2020. 

For office building property managers, this return to the office is a welcome sight—and one that brings new demands to the job. Evolving technology, fluctuating occupancy, and new amenity expectations are just a few of the considerations property managers must address in the post-COVID era. As more employees return to their offices, property managers also play a vital role in ensuring a company’s transition back to the office is successful. 

“By supporting a great building experience in tandem with an individual company’s policies and practices, property management can be seen as a partner in a company’s overall return to office,” says Adam Segal, the cofounder and CEO of Cove, an office building operations and tenant engagement software. “But it’s important to keep in mind that they are not responsible for creating or enforcing these mandates.”

Occupancy reset

With a mix of full-time and hybrid office workers, property managers must find ways to adjust to the fluctuating occupancy needs.

“We are trying to understand the expectations of the building on a daily basis and even throughout the day,” says Patty Nooney, CPM^®, principal and director of real estate management services at Avison Young. “A company may hold meetings from 10 to 12 or 1 to 3, and suddenly an influx of people comes to the building.” 

She says her team is leveraging technology to build metrics that show what days and hours a building has a heavier population and requires more janitorial, security, or food service.

The right mix 

Much has changed since the last time employees clocked 40 hours per week on-site, and many workers now have new workplace expectations. 

“An overarching theme for offices in 2025 is the flight to quality and catering to the employee experience,” says Jodie Poirier, president of occupier services | Americas at Colliers.

After working from home for five years, employees expect quiet areas to focus or privately take a Zoom call. Even in coworking spaces, there is a shift away from open-bench seating to more private workrooms. 

“Whether people are talking to vendors, clients, or remote colleagues, they need that private space to have head-down focused time or take video calls,” says Poirier. And, as video calls are now part of daily work, Poirier points out that sound attenuation is one of the most crucial features in today’s successful office build-outs.

Equally important as dedicated focus areas is the need for huddle rooms and collaboration spaces that enable teams to work together—after all, a key goal of many return-to-work mandates is to foster teamwork and company culture. 

Testing tech

Technology plays a massive role in 2025 office spaces—both for tenants and property managers. Workspaces are now more tech-driven, with features like digital collaboration boards and smart meeting rooms. For property managers, tech plays an increasingly critical role in streamlining and optimizing operations.

“For property managers, technology, when leveraged correctly, can act as a partner and enhance all the things that property managers are doing,” Segal says. Apps like Cove can assist property managers and engage tenants. For example, Cove and similar apps can handle tasks such as: 

• Work orders
• Rental maintenance
• Inspections
• Visitor management
• Tenant communications and announcements
• Building access control

Still, getting all team members and tenants on board with technology can be a challenge. To cater to everyone, Nooney and her team focus on providing service through technology while also offering a human touch for those who prefer it. 

“If an office worker is using an automated system to book a conference room and it doesn’t work, how easy is it for them to get help and accomplish what they want?” Nooney says. “When a piece of technology isn’t working according to plan, we have to ensure that level of service in a different way. Technology is not perfect, and neither are the people using it.”

Standing out

Poirier notes that well-amenitized buildings located in desirable areas near transit are experiencing more leasing activity than other buildings. “These are the buildings that will attract new tenants,” she says.

As for amenities, parking, electric vehicle charging, bicycle storage, and wellness offerings are some of today’s must-haves. 

“It went from a workout and fitness room to an entire wellness concept,” says Nooney, who is a member of the IREM Foundation Board and a former IREM President. “You may bring in guest wellness speakers, a Pilates instructor twice a week, or a yoga instructor to lead a class outdoors on the lawn.” 

Nutritious vending options are also popular with modern workers. “Today’s vending machines are 50 times better than they were 10 years ago, offering fresh, healthy choices,” Nooney adds. 

Another amenity trend is a hospitality-type experience, from concierge services to a lobby that mimics a five-star hotel.  

“Whether it’s through a third party or a member of your management staff, having a concierge-type person to make reservations or coordinate deliveries helps attract and retain tenants,” Nooney says.

As for lobby design, the best examples draw employees to gather, relax, or visit with coworkers, Poirier states.

“I was recently in a building in Atlanta, and it almost felt as if I was walking into a hotel, just by the look and feel of it,” she says. “It had a coffee bar, plenty of plants, and a restaurant. Would you rather walk into a lobby like that or a sterile, granite area with no amenities and hard seating?”

Nooney says amenitizing can be challenging given the current state of rising prices, from basic utilities and supplies to the added costs of new amenities or programming. To prioritize which new amenities are worth the price, Nooney suggests examining the characteristics and tenant base of each building. “Conduct surveys but also perform reasonableness tests on what makes sense. Where can you get the biggest bang for your money when adding tenant amenities?” she says.

Back for good

Office usage and working policies will continue evolving for the foreseeable future. Poirier predicts that the companies with the most consistent yet flexible policies will have great success with their return-to-work mandates. 

To best assist these companies as they return to the office, Nooney says it’s essential to support property management staff so they are not overwhelmed or experiencing burnout as they navigate the new way of office life. 

“Office buildings are definitely not obsolete,” Nooney says. “Times change, and we just need to figure out how to keep up with them.”