The office reset: How company size shapes the return in 2025

The office comeback isn’t just about where you work. It’s about who you work for. New Envoy data shows that overall workplace traffic grew 17.6% year over year. But averages only tell part of the story. The real differences emerge when you look at company size.

Some organizations are sprinting back to the office, others are easing in, and a few are still figuring out their next move. Together, they paint a picture of how scale influences culture, strategy, and the role of in-person work.

Small but mighty: startups lead the charge

Companies with 1–50 employees saw a 31.7% increase in office attendance. With small teams, face-to-face collaboration is critical for building culture and accelerating decisions. Similarly, organizations with 51–200 employees grew 21.8% YoY, showing that early-stage growth companies are leaning on the office to keep momentum.

Mid-size companies find a balance

Firms with 201–500 employees grew 18.1%, just above the global average. While those with 501–1000 employees saw a 29.1% jump. For many of these organizations, hybrid work is the sweet spot: enough structure to support scale, but flexible enough to compete for talent.

Big companies, big swings

Larger enterprises are taking different paths. Companies with 1001–5000 employees rose only 12.9%, signaling caution as they balance cost, policy, and global footprints. Those with 5001–10,000 employees actually dropped 20.7%, reflecting the challenges of coordinating large workforces and maintaining flexible policies at scale. Yet at the very top, companies with more than 10,000 employees surged 29.1%, showing that when the largest players make a push, the shift is dramatic.

One trend, many strategies

The office comeback doesn’t look the same for everyone. Small and very large companies are leading the way, while mid-size firms are adapting at their own pace. What unites them is the recognition that in-person time matters for connection, culture, and growth. The next chapter of the workplace will be written by how each size of company turns those priorities into practice. Whether you’re managing five offices or fifty, the key is unification: one platform for everything that happens onsite.

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This post is part of our Data Snack Series. Check out past blogs and our 2025 State of work report for more workplace insights.

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