September 5, 2025
To gain a clearer picture of today’s workplace, we surveyed 400 US–based office decision makers spanning workplace operations, office experience, and executive leadership.
Office occupancy and utilization
In the past year, office occupancy doubled, rising from 30% to 60%. Additionally, companies planning to reduce office square footage fell from 75% in 2024 to 46% in 2025.
Rapid7 is already running ahead of the pack, filling 50–75% of its Boston office while the national average sits near 60%. As hybrid routines settle and high-value collaboration days pull teams back together, expect occupancy to edge higher and stay there. That steady cadence will put renewed pressure on desk and room availability—exactly the resources Rapid7 has flagged as its biggest headache.
Treat today’s 60% industry benchmark as a floor: use live utilization data to right-size desk and room supply before the next uptick crowds employees.
Policies and structure
According to the survey results, 46% of companies strongly suggest in-office policies, 42% mandate in-office policies and only 12% let employees decide.
Most firms now steer employees with either strong nudges (46%) or outright mandates (42%); only a sliver still leave attendance to chance. Rapid7’s structured hybrid model fits this trend, but compliance remains the weak link across the board. Clear, team-level playbooks—like those rolled out at H&R Block—are fast becoming table stakes for keeping policies credible and predictable.
Publish a concise, team-based schedule that spells out the why and the when of office days—then revisit it quarterly to keep adherence high.
Technology and tools
77% of respondents reported active investments in tools like wayfinding, digital maps, and occupancy sensors. AI-driven automation was also noted.
Seventy-seven percent of companies are pouring money into wayfinding, sensors, and AI automation, turning offices into data engines. Rapid7 already owns the core stack; the next leap is stitching these tools together so occupancy trends trigger automatic desk and room reallocation in real time. That move shifts resource management from reactive to predictive—exactly what a fast-moving SaaS firm needs.
Layer predictive analytics onto your existing booking and sensor systems so desks, rooms, and badges adjust themselves before bottlenecks form.
Office design and experiences
According to the survey data, most office decisions are still guided by hybrid policies and data rather than employee needs. Additionally, 82% of leaders were worried about maintaining their current office space.
Leaders talk data, but employees crave connection; the smartest offices now translate usage insights into social, flexible zones that beat coffee-shop comfort. With space cuts slowing and collaboration demand rising, rows of static desks are giving way to modular team pods and lounge-style corners. Rapid7 can ride this wave to elevate the daily experience without expanding its footprint.
Convert underused desk banks into movable collaboration pods and casual gathering spots to spark the teamwork employees come in for.
Workplace operations
Confusion over ownership is a major contributor to policy challenges. Respondents cited the following as “owners” of workplace management:
Office Manager/Workplace Experience: 30%
Facilities and IT Teams: 23%
HR/People Teams: 20%
Department Managers: 20%
Executive Team: 6%
Ownership confusion still dogs office ops—only 6% of executives hold the reins, and 30% of tasks drift to over-stretched experience teams. As resource complexity grows, winning firms treat the workplace like a product, led by a single owner who unites Facilities, IT, and People data on one dashboard. Rapid7’s focus on resource management makes that alignment urgent.
Appoint a dedicated Workplace Product Owner with clear authority to track usage, enforce policy, and fine-tune resources across teams.
The path forward is clear: use real-time data to balance seats and rooms, spell out a simple hybrid playbook, automate the tech you already own, reshape space for teamwork, and centralize decision-making. Nail those five steps and Rapid7 turns today’s resource pain into tomorrow’s competitive edge—an office that runs itself while employees focus on building great software.
