What Gets Employees to The Office? Here's The Data.

People aren’t returning to the office for mandates. They’re showing up for moments that feel worth the trip.

According to Robin’s Return to Office 2024 report, 70% of employees say their company has a formal in-office policy. But that policy alone isn’t pulling people in. Of the folks with a 4-day in-office requirement, only 24% actually show up that often. The rest? They’re choosing to stay home.

So what tips the balance?

Companies that are winning the RTO battle are doing it through intentional office experiences — not just space, but programming. They’re turning the office into a destination. One that gives people a reason to come in, and makes them want to come back.

And it’s working. According to Robin’s 2025 Office Space Report, office occupancy has doubled in the past year. The conversation is shifting — from reducing space to optimizing it.

Why people still stay home

It’s not hard to understand why people resist the office. Our research found that, of hybrid employees:

• 41% say the commute is too long
• 32% cite high gas prices
• 20% point to expensive parking

But here’s the real kicker: 89% say they waste up to 20 minutes looking for basic office equipment.

Add unclear desk bookings, noisy floor plans, and “collaboration spaces” that don’t serve real team needs, and suddenly, working from the kitchen table sounds like the smarter option.

The perks that actually pull people in

Here’s the good news: employees want to feel connected. They want to be part of something bigger than a Zoom call. 73% of people in Robin’s study said they feel more connected to their company when they’re in the office with colleagues.

So what makes it worth the commute?

• Office perks: Catered lunches, wellness events, guest speakers. Nearly half of employees (44%) say perks are a top draw.
• Commuter support: 39% said they'd be more likely to come in if their costs were covered. 53% said a stipend of $50–75 would make the difference.
• Clear resource access: Fast, intuitive booking for rooms, desks, equipment, and services. If it’s clunky, people won’t use it, or won’t come in at all.

Programming over policies

The best offices aren't run by policy, they’re shaped by practice. That’s a standout insight from the 2025 Office Space Report, and it shows up in the numbers too: 43% of employers now dedicate space specifically for company events (JLL).

We're seeing it everywhere:

• Cooking demos in the office kitchen
• Team offsites hosted onsite
• Guest speakers, pop-up coffee bars, mentorship days

These aren’t just culture boosts. They’re occupancy drivers. And they signal a broader shift: the office isn’t where work happens by default anymore — it’s where purpose-built experiences live.

Make the office worth the effort

You don’t need to bribe people with ping pong and LaCroix. But you do need to make the office feel like a better place to work — not a worse version of home.

That means:

• Prioritizing easy access to spaces, services, and people
• Creating moments that make showing up feel valuable
• Designing spaces with real intent — not one-size-fits-all open floor plans

And that last point? Robin is helping teams do it at scale. The platform now uses real-time occupancy and departmental trends to recommend smart floor plans — whether you need more flex space or dedicated setups. The days of guessing are over.

Offices that work for people get used. Offices that don’t get ignored.

Want to dig deeper into what actually gets teams back together? Check out our latest research.