69% of US firms track office attendance in 2025, up from 45% in 2024, boosting commercial real estate demand

In the evolving landscape of hybrid work models, a notable shift is underway among U.S. businesses, with a growing emphasis on monitoring employee presence in the office. Recent surveys indicate that the proportion of companies actively tracking attendance has surged to 69% this year, up from 45% in 2024, reflecting a broader push towards structured in-office policies amid lingering debates over productivity and collaboration.

The Rise of Attendance Tracking in Corporate America

This uptick in attendance monitoring comes as organisations grapple with the long-term implications of remote and hybrid arrangements that gained prominence during the global health crisis. Data from commercial real estate firm CBRE’s 2025 Americas office occupier sentiment poll, which surveyed 184 companies, highlights how firms are tightening enforcement to align with return-to-office (RTO) mandates. Notably, 85% of respondents have now communicated explicit attendance policies to their employees, an increase from 80% the previous year. This trend underscores a strategic pivot towards reclaiming physical office spaces, driven by executives’ beliefs that in-person interactions foster innovation and team cohesion.

The motivations behind this shift are multifaceted. For many leaders, tracking attendance serves as a tool to combat perceived productivity dips associated with remote work. Analyst sentiment, as captured in reports from firms like Paychex, suggests that evolving technologies—such as biometric systems and AI-driven time management software—are making it easier for companies to implement these measures without significant friction. Projections from market research indicate that the global time and attendance management software market could expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% through 2033, fuelled by the demand for compliant and efficient tracking solutions.

Implications for Commercial Real Estate

From a financial perspective, this resurgence in office attendance tracking bodes well for the commercial real estate sector, which has faced headwinds from elevated vacancy rates post-pandemic. CBRE’s findings reveal that 67% of surveyed companies plan to maintain or expand their office footprints in the coming years, a sentiment echoed in rising occupancy goals. This year, 72% of firms report meeting their attendance targets, up from 61% in 2024, signalling a stabilisation in demand for office space. Investors in real estate investment trusts (REITs) focused on office properties may find encouragement here, as stricter RTO policies could translate into higher leasing activity and rental yields.

However, the picture is not uniformly positive. While larger corporations lead the charge—often mandating at least three in-office days per week—smaller businesses may lag due to resource constraints. Historical trends show that office vacancy rates in major U.S. markets peaked at around 20% in 2023, according to data from prior CBRE reports, and any sustained return could gradually erode this excess supply. Analyst models, such as those from IMARC Group, forecast the biometrics market—integral to advanced attendance systems—reaching US$59 billion by 2025, potentially accelerating adoption and supporting real estate recovery.

Productivity and Workforce Dynamics

Beyond real estate, the intensification of attendance tracking raises questions about employee engagement and retention. Surveys from sources like Apploye indicate that while monitoring can enhance accountability, it often sparks concerns over privacy and trust. Employee monitoring statistics for 2025 reveal mixed sentiments: some workers report feeling more productive under structured oversight, yet a significant portion views it as intrusive. Credible sources, including sentiment analysis from WorkTime, note that biometric and AI tools are revolutionising attendance verification, with systems analysing physical characteristics for seamless tracking.

In terms of broader labour market trends, this development aligns with a cooling in voluntary quits, which fell to 2.3% in late 2023, the lowest since early that year, per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. As job growth moderates amid higher interest rates, companies may leverage attendance policies to optimise workforce efficiency. Analyst-led forecasts suggest that if tracking trends continue, absenteeism rates could decline by 5–10% in hybrid environments over the next two years, based on models incorporating historical absence data from 2020–2024.

Technological Innovations Driving the Trend

Technology plays a pivotal role in this evolution. Innovations in attendance management software, as outlined in Paychex’s 2025 trends report, include GPS-enabled clock-ins and cloud-based platforms that integrate with HR systems for real-time analytics. Free tools like those from Jibble have gained traction among smaller firms, offering unlimited user access and compatibility with devices used by major corporations. Meanwhile, Actiplans’ analysis of 2025 absence trends points to the rise of flexible schedules alongside advanced tracking, enabling data-driven decisions that promote workforce health.

From an investment standpoint, firms specialising in HR tech—such as those providing biometric solutions—stand to benefit. The integration of these tools not only ensures compliance with labour laws but also aids in reducing absenteeism, which historical data shows spiked dramatically in 2020 before stabilising at elevated levels. TeamSense’s best practices emphasise how accurate tracking can boost productivity by identifying patterns early, potentially adding 2–3% to annual output in service-oriented sectors.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite the momentum, challenges persist. Privacy advocates argue that aggressive monitoring could erode employee morale, leading to higher turnover in a competitive talent market. Sentiment from employee engagement benchmarks, like those from The Survey Initiative’s 2025 mid-year trends, indicates that while engagement metrics have improved marginally, surveillance remains a flashpoint. Moreover, not all industries are equally positioned; tech-heavy sectors may embrace digital tracking more readily than manufacturing, where on-site presence is already the norm.

Looking ahead, analyst models project that by 2030, over 80% of U.S. businesses could adopt some form of attendance monitoring, driven by hybrid work’s permanence. This could reshape corporate budgets, with increased spending on office optimisations and tech infrastructure. For investors, the theme illuminates opportunities in REITs and software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers, provided economic conditions support sustained RTO enforcement. Dryly put, if absence makes the heart grow fonder, tracked presence might just make the balance sheet stronger—though only time will tell if workers concur.

References

• Actiplans. (2025). The future of absence tracking. https://www.actiplans.com/blog/the-future-of-absence-tracking
• Allwork.Space. (2025, August). 69% of U.S. companies now track office attendance. https://allwork.space/2025/08/69-of-u-s-companies-now-track-office-attendance/
• Apploye. (2025). Employee monitoring statistics. https://apploye.com/blog/employee-monitoring-statistics/
• BizToc. (n.d.). https://biztoc.com/x/a03131613be37e46
• CoStar. (n.d.). More companies say they’re tracking office attendance. https://www.costar.com/article/1089891306/more-companies-say-theyre-tracking-office-attendance
• CREdaily. (2025). Office attendance tracking on the rise in the U.S. workplace. https://credaily.com/briefs/office-attendance-tracking-on-the-rise-in-the-us-workplace
• Finance Yahoo. (2025). Time and attendance management software market forecast. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/time-attendance-management-software-market-135100114.html
• Jibble. (2025). Attendance tracker. https://www.jibble.io/attendance-tracker
• Paychex. (2025). Latest technology to track time and attendance. https://www.paychex.com/articles/hcm/latest-technology-track-time-attendance
• Survey Initiative. (2025). Employee engagement 2025 mid-year trends. https://surveyinitiative.co.uk/employee-engagement-2025-mid-year-trends
• TeamSense. (n.d.). Employee attendance tracking: Compliance and productivity. https://www.teamsense.com/blog/employee-attendance-tracking-compliance-productivity
• TechForing. (n.d.). Top attendance management software. https://growth.techforing.com/resources/articles/top-attendance-management-software
• WorkTime. (2025). Employee monitoring software industry trends. https://www.worktime.com/employee-monitoring-software-industry-trends
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