The Property Council of Australia’s Office Occupancy Survey for September has seen an increase in workers heading to CBDs across the country.

Brisbane saw a 13 percent increase from 57 to 70, with Adelaide going from 71 to 78 percent office occupancy, with Perth lifting from 69 to 76 percent.

Melbourne saw an occupancy increase of two percent, reaching 41 percent, with Sydney remaining steady at 52 percent. Canberra was the only major CBD to see a decline, dropping 10 percent to 54 percent occupancy.

Days throughout the week are leading to inconsistent numbers. Peak occupancy days in Perth see 84 percent occupancy, while on lower days it falls to 68 percent. Melbourne at its lowest sees a quarter of its office spaces filled.

“We expected to see office occupancy lift after the winter Omicron wave subsided and that’s what we have witnessed in most capital cities around Australia,” outgoing Property Council Chief Executive, Ken Morrison says.

“It's especially encouraging to see office occupancy jump significantly in several major CBDs, but the results are a lot lower in Melbourne and Sydney which have had more lockdown disruption through the pandemic.

"Our survey shows people are returning to their offices strongly on peak days, with peak day occupancy reaching 84 percent in Perth, 83 percent in Adelaide, 79 percent in Brisbane, Sydney at 65 percent and 60 percent in Canberra and Melbourne.

“Melbourne's peak occupancy day increased by 9 percent from the previous month, which is a positive sign despite the overall occupancy rate remaining subdued.

“With warmer weather now upon us and the Omicron wave subsiding significantly, it bodes well for continued momentum in the months ahead,” Morrison concludes.

Greater flexibility has become a preference for workers nationwide, with working from home classed as the major driver of occupancy levels, increasing from 64 to 83 percent.

Issues such as covid and influenza are now longer an issue, with concerns falling to 4 percent in September, when they previously sat at 30 percent in July.

Image: Trevor Mein