The Return to the Office Around the World

Cities around the world are employing vastly different strategies in the effort to get workers back in the office.

2 minute read

October 20, 2021, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Commute

Nick Beer / Shutterstock

Mobility data compiled by Google shows a sharp international divergence in how workers in major financial centers are returning to the office, according to an article by Emily Cadman, Stephan Kahl, Charlotte Ryan, Faris Mokhtar, Nic Querolo, Sarah Holder, Natalie Wong, Steven Arons, Hayley Warren and Sam Dodge. While cities like New York and London have started rebounding, "Singapore and Sydney have had to introduce fresh restrictions as the number of coronavirus cases spikes."

The authors attribute the difference to "vaccination rates and countries’ varying risk appetites." London, New York, and Frankfurt have begun to reopen after vaccines became available, while "cities such as Singapore and Sydney that locked down hard and early—and so got people accustomed to very low levels of infection and risk—have found loosening restrictions tougher as they face further outbreaks."

This hasn't always been the case: by June, Sydney's "[o]ffice occupancy rates had risen to more than 65% of pre-pandemic norms and the state government was poised to launch a voucher program to encourage people back to the city center to eat and drink." But after a massive outbreak of the Delta variant and a months-long lockdown, "the heart of the city is empty." Meanwhile, around 28 percent of the New York region's office workers have returned to work in person and schools fully reopened in September. The article details the trajectory of several other global cities including San Francisco and Frankfurt.

While many cities are experiencing gradual reopenings, "the return to normalcy is still a ways off."

Sunday, October 3, 2021 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

April 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

April 4 - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

April 4 - Grist