What Drives Office Attendance in 2025?

Beyond the Mandate

As companies continue navigating hybrid work, many leaders still ask: "How do we get employees to come in more often?" While some lean on mandates and attendance minimums, others are discovering a deeper truth: return-to-office engagement isn’t driven by policy—it’s driven by purpose, culture, and experience.

Data from 2025 is clear. Mandates alone don’t inspire consistent attendance or renewed energy. In fact, they often create resentment and disengagement. So what does work? What actually brings people back to the office voluntarily?

This article unpacks what drives in-office work today—from workplace psychology to cold brew culture—and what HR leaders and facilities teams can do to make the office somewhere employees want to be, not have to be.

Mandates vs. Motivation: Why Policy Falls Short

There’s a growing body of evidence showing that requiring employees to return doesn’t deliver the engagement most companies hope for. Research from Gallup, Microsoft, and others confirms what many HR leaders already feel: policies alone may bring people into the building, but not into community, collaboration, or high performance.

Mandates can trigger compliance, but not enthusiasm. And when employees feel coerced, they often resist quietly—showing up less engaged, staying for shorter hours, or returning to remote work at the earliest opportunity. In some cases, top performers even begin seeking out more flexible employers.

Instead, companies should focus on the emotional and social pull factors. What makes people want to be in the office? That’s where the real shift begins.

The Psychology of Voluntary Attendance

The psychology behind voluntary office attendance ties back to three drivers: connection, identity, and energy.

• Connection: Employees want meaningful social interactions. Offices that foster collaboration, casual conversations, and cross-functional serendipity become magnetic.

• Identity: People want to feel like they belong. When the office reflects their values and culture, it becomes a place of pride and purpose.

• Energy: Workers seek spaces that inspire focus, creativity, and motivation—not ones that drain them.

When these factors are present, showing up becomes easy. It’s not about checking a box. It’s about being part of something energizing. Employees voluntarily show up when they know it contributes to their performance, social life, and mental wellbeing.

One way to foster this is by creating space for unstructured collaboration—think impromptu brainstorming sessions around the cold brew tap or casual check-ins over a shared lunch table. These moments strengthen teams more than any forced meeting ever could.

The Rise of Micro-Motivators: Why Cold Brew and Perks Matter

Here’s where things get interesting. While flexible policies and team rituals matter, so do the small things. In fact, many companies underestimate the power of hybrid work perks like cold brew, kombucha, wellness snacks, and thoughtfully designed spaces.

These "micro-motivators" do more than just sweeten the deal. They transform how employees feel about the office. A premium cold brew tap in the breakroom becomes a reason to start the day early. A sunlit lounge stocked with healthy beverages becomes a midday recharge zone. A fridge with infused water or fresh fruit adds color and energy to a team's day.

Over time, these small comforts compound into loyalty and attendance. They make a difference because they touch daily routines. And unlike corporate policies that feel far away, these perks are tangible and immediate.

Case in point: Offices with premium beverage programs report higher daily attendance than those without—especially in high-choice markets like tech, creative services, and consulting. When employees are choosing between working from home or coming in, perks often tip the balance.

Premium amenities also function as cultural signals. Cold brew says: "We invest in quality." Kombucha says: "We care about wellness." Comfortable seating says: "We trust you to do your best work however you work best."

Real-World Strategies from High-Return Environments

Across industries, companies that see strong office attendance share one thing in common: they focus on experience over enforcement. Here are a few examples:

• Cisco's The “Magnet, Not a Mandate” Approach: Cisco’s extensive hybrid-work study found that 72% of employees are open to returning to the office—if it’s modernized for collaboration, brainstorming, and connection Cisco Hybrid Word Study. In a PRWeek interview, Cisco’s Maria Poveromo emphasized that the company aims to make the office a “magnet”, not a mandate (PR Week). Cisco responded by redesigning its workspaces with flexible seating, wellness zones, café‑style lounges, and outdoor collaboration areas—creating environments that invite people in, rather than forcing them back. While specific attendance figures aren't publicly disclosed, Cisco reports stronger midweek engagement and collaboration in these “magnetic” space.
  

• HSBC – New York “Spiral” HQ Draws Staff Back: HSBC moved its U.S. headquarters to the Spiral building at Hudson Yards, designed with airy open spaces, hanging gardens, outdoor terraces, and collaborative zones. While maintaining hybrid policies, the bank saw voluntary attendance rise from ~40% to ~80% after the move—demonstrating how a thoughtfully crafted environment can attract people back without mandates MarketWatch.
  

• Pinterest (Dublin Office) – Culture‑First Design: Pinterest’s Dublin location, refurbished in April 2024, embraces local culture—complete with a full-scale pub, a "Celtic forest" workspace, sound-reactive lighting, and playful areas like gaming lounges and karaoke rooms. The result? A reported 55% surge in attendance following the redesign Business Insider. The office has become a destination for creativity and social connection, not just a place to clock in.
  

• Blue Monarch Group Client – Workplace Engagement Overhaul: A consulting client of Blue Monarch Group revamped its office by introducing collaborative hubs, quiet zones, and refreshed beverage and snack stations. Within months, voluntary attendance jumped to 75%+ three days per week, collaboration and satisfaction improved, and voluntary turnover dropped by about 20% Source. This case emphasizes how addressing employee needs—rather than enforcing presence—yields tangible results.
  

• Broad Survey: Amenities Boost Attendance Motivation: A June 2025 report from Crown Workspace surveyed 1,250 workers and decision-makers across several countries. It found 91% of respondents would come into the office more frequently if the space better met their needs. Three‑quarters cited furniture, layout, and space flexibility as essential to productivity and well-being Facility Executive. Specifically, the call for quiet zones and personalized spaces reflects what workers are actively seeking—amenities that make the office worth the commute and lead to more intentional attendance.

These weren’t all small changes. Some were bold, high-investment redesigns—full headquarters moves, cultural overhauls, and architectural statements. Others were simpler upgrades: lounge seating, refreshed beverage stations, and more natural light. But in every case, the approach was the same: design with intention and prioritize what employees actually value.

By focusing on how spaces feel—not just how they function—these organizations created offices that invite people in. The result? Higher voluntary attendance, deeper connection, and stronger team engagement.

Some companies are also layering in lightweight, low-cost strategies like breakfast bars, team raffles, or “theme days” that make in-person work more fun and social. These programs don’t enforce compliance—they create energy and reward presence.

The lesson is clear: mandates aren’t what bring people back. Meaningful experiences are. When the office offers comfort, connection, and culture, employees choose to show up—not because they’re told to, but because they want to.

What HR and Office Teams Can Do Today

If you're trying to increase in-office engagement without relying solely on top-down policy, consider this five-part framework:

1. Audit the Experience: Ask employees what they love (and hate) about being in the office. Identify friction points, and don’t assume you know what matters most. Sometimes it's the quality of coffee. Sometimes it's the lack of quiet space.

2. Design for Flow and Culture: Reimagine your space to support collaboration, quiet focus, and moments of connection. Move beyond rows of desks and rigid seating charts. Instead, create zones—for deep work, for socializing, for team meetings, and for recharge.

3. Introduce Anchor Perks: Premium cold brew, wellness snacks, clean air, flexible seating, and warm lighting go a long way in creating comfort and community. These are the details employees notice, and they can be the deciding factor in showing up or staying home.

4. Celebrate Presence: Create rituals around being together—from coffee chats to team lunches—that feel organic, not forced. Acknowledge attendance in team meetings or highlight collaborative moments that only happened because people showed up.

5. Communicate the Value: Explain why the office exists. It's not just a place to sit. It's a place to build culture, develop talent, and create community. Frame the office as an experience—not a rule.

The best office attendance strategies treat employees like humans, not compliance metrics. When people feel trusted and supported, they show up.

The Strategic Role of the Breakroom

One of the most underutilized tools for improving return-to-office engagement is the breakroom. Not the stale, sterile kitchenette of the past—but a modern social hub where employees gather naturally.

Think of the breakroom as the new water cooler: a space that fosters conversation, collaboration, and creativity. When it’s designed with intention, it becomes a daily destination.

That could mean installing cold brew and kombucha on tap, adding modular seating, bringing in soft lighting and plants, or rotating seasonal beverages. Some companies go further with hosted tasting events, coffee education classes, or employee-selected drink rotations.

And here's the key: it isn't just about caffeine. It's about shared moments. When employees gather around the same tap, they connect. When they sit with someone new over a drink, they break down silos. These small shifts make a big difference in building community.

Why Employees Really Return

So what drives office attendance in 2025? It’s not mandates. It’s meaning. It’s not policy. It’s purpose. Employees return to offices that make them feel alive, included, and valued.

Cold brew helps. So does sunlight. And music. And spaces that spark ideas. But more than anything, it’s about creating an environment where people choose to show up—for each other, for growth, and for something greater than the next Zoom call.

If your goal is to boost office attendance, start by asking: what experience are we offering? What story does our workspace tell? And what small changes can we make to inspire someone to come in tomorrow?

Want to build an office people want to come to? Start with the breakroom. It might be the smallest space with the biggest impact. Curious what’s working for other teams? Explore more workplace insights and ideas with Commonwealth Joe.

Written by: Robert Peck (Assisted by ChatGPT)