New data from The Partnership for New York shows that just 8% of Manhattan office workers have returned to the workplace full-time, indicating a permanent shift to flexible arrangements.ย
The analysis showed that 38% of these professionals are back in the office some of the time, but that number may jump to 49% by Labor Day, still below the over 80% seen prior to the pandemic.โฏย
While the city is seeing incremental growth in occupancy, it is abundantly clear that a 100% return to the office may not be in the cards for the region ever again.ย
โCompanies have tried everything โ offering free meals, free snacks and they canโt bring people back full-time,โ said Kathryn Wylde, president of The Partnership for New York.ย
In fact, the survey showed that 78% of companies will likely adopt a permanent hybrid model in order to retain top talent. For the 91% insisting on a return, 64% have incorporated new incentives, such as social activities, free meals, or transportation subsidies.ย
Industries leading the office return include:ย ย
- Real Estate (82%)ย
- Legal (46%)ย
- Technology (44%)ย
- Consulting (41%)ย
- Financial Services (40%)ย
Wylde adds that although employees appear to have a bigger say in workplace arrangements at the moment, the economyโs volatility could tip the power dynamic back to employers.ย
