Even as more companies nationwide report progress in getting employees back to the office, California remains an outlier, with attendance still less than half of pre-pandemic levels.
A new CBRE survey shows that managers’ efforts to enforce in-person work are working: 72% of companies say they’ve hit their attendance targets, up from 61% last year. Yet many executives still want fuller offices, with surveyed firms hoping for an average of 3.2 in-office days per week. Current attendance is closer to 2.9 days.
California continues to drag down the national average. Data from Kastle Systems, which tracks office swipes through its key-card entry systems, shows that Los Angeles and San Francisco remain near the bottom of the country’s office-usage rankings. In the week ending Aug. 20, office populations averaged 48.3% in Los Angeles, 41.8% in San Francisco, and 49% in San Jose—well above pandemic lows but behind New York, Chicago, and Texas cities, where attendance surpasses 60%.
Industry experts point to California’s unique dynamics. Tech and entertainment jobs are more adaptable to remote work, while L.A.’s notoriously long commutes make bosses more lenient. “It’s just harder to get to the office,” said Kastle Systems chair Mark Ein.
CBRE found that companies have become stricter about monitoring attendance. This year, 69% track whether workers are showing up, compared with 45% last year. Enforcement has also climbed, with 37% now actively imposing attendance rules, up from 17%. Still, managers complain of “vibe” problems: uneven midweek attendance creates office highs and lows, making it difficult to recreate the energy of pre-pandemic workplaces.
Los Angeles in particular has lagged, with fewer workers coming in five days a week even before COVID, CBRE broker Jeff Pion noted. But not all offices are equal. High-end buildings in markets like Century City—home to law firms and finance companies—see higher attendance, since tenants investing in premium space are more motivated to use it.
For landlords, the stakes are high. With office use down and vacancies up, some property owners have already lost buildings to foreclosure. A report by BAE Urban Economics estimates that 54 downtown L.A. office buildings are at risk of steep devaluation, potentially wiping out $70 billion in value and $353 million in property tax revenue over the next decade. Converting offices to housing is one solution under consideration.
Despite the challenges, many companies are committing to their current offices or even planning to expand. Two-thirds of CBRE’s survey respondents said they will maintain or grow their office footprints over the next three years, a slight increase from last year.
To attract workers, companies are rethinking what an office should offer. Employers are emphasizing better amenities, with some providing concierge services, free meals, dog-friendly policies, and spaces tailored to both collaboration and quiet focus. Location matters too—proximity to public transit, parks, and bike paths has become a major draw.
“Employers are far more focused now on the workplace experience than they were before the pandemic,” said Julie Whelan, CBRE’s global head of research on tenant preferences. “Vibrant neighborhoods and amenity-rich spaces are where the trend is headed.”