Companies are increasing investment in their office spaces to entice reluctant employees to return, a new report from research and advisory firm Verdantix has revealed.

The company interviewed 350 real estate and facilities budget holders across North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific businesses with annual revenues of at least $250m. Six out of ten (61%) have annual revenues of more than $1bn.

Its study found 50% of respondents will expand or initiate activities focused on improving employee on-site experience in the year ahead. These efforts aim to encourage staff back into the office following a post-pandemic preference for working from home and the rise of ‘hybrid’ working.

Over 60% of real estate managers seek to support staff health and wellbeing in the workplace, with survey respondents in the financial, real estate and the health care sectors planning to do the most in this area.

The survey also found that 43% of firms are spending on software that helps reassure staff it is safe to return to the office and 48% plan to increase such spending. That includes software to monitor the use of office space, which helps real estate and facilities executives to adapt the space accordingly. This trend has seen a growth in apps offering access to office amenities, such as coordinating attendance with work colleagues.