Biggest monthly jump in workers returning to the office seen in Brisbane

Brisbane’s CBD is filling up fast, with more workers returning to the office than anywhere else in the country.

More Brisbane workers are returning to the office than any other capital city in Australia according to the latest data that’s shown a surge in CBD occupancy last month.

Data from the Property Council revealed Brisbane’s CBD has seen the highest monthly jump in workers returning to the office in the whole country.

Local offices have now returned to 70 per cent of pre-Covid occupancy levels in September, which is up significantly from 57 per cent in August.

On its peak days, Brisbane’s CBD can hit almost 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels, but can also drop to just over half what it was before Covid on the lowest days.

The surge in returning office workers has been welcome news for Queensland executive director of the Property Council, Jen Williams, who said weekly activity in the CBD has increased massively.

“The gap is closing between peak and low days, with occupancy jumping by 16 per cent on the normally quiet Friday, much to the benefit of the city’s small businesses,” she said.

Crowds and office workers returning to the Brisbane CBD Brisbane. Picture: David Clark.

Occupancy rates have now been consistently increasing since June 2021 when the CBD was at 71 per cent of pre-Covid levels, down from a two-year peak of 72 per cent in February 2021.

At the lowest point of occupancy in January this year, Brisbane’s CBD was at just 13 per cent of what it was before Covid.

Brisbane’s CBD is the third closest capital city to return to normal occupancy rates behind Adelaide with 78 per cent and Perth at 76 per cent.

“Things are noticeably busier in the city after experiencing dips earlier this year with new Covid waves and the seasonal flu,” Ms Williams said.

However, it’s uncertain whether CBDs will ever return to the levels they once were with over 80 per cent of all workers saying the preference for greater workplace flexibility has influenced their decision to go back to the office.

“Hybrid working arrangements are continuing to play a part in our workplace culture, however this rise shows that people are increasingly seeking out connection and collaboration,” Ms Williams said.

“We are positive this momentum will continue as the weather improves and this will hopefully translate to a bumper festive season for city centre retailers after a challenging few years.”

It comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics released data yesterday (WEDNESDAY) that showed in August last year, around 14 per cent of all Queensland workers were working from home on Census day.

Overall across the country, one in four employees in capital cities reported working from home compared with one in eight outside of capital cities.