Office Working Takes Hold as Employee Voice Is Overruled

London, 5 December 2025: Global analyst firm CCS Insight has unveiled the findings of its annual Survey: Employee Workplace Technology revealing a decisive shift in how employees work, connect and use technology. The 2025 results show organizations strengthening office-working mandates even as employee preference moves in the opposite direction, alongside a marked acceleration in mobile-first working and continued uneven adoption of generative AI tools.

The survey draws on responses from more than 700 employees in the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, covering diverse industries and roles. It examines changing working patterns, the technologies and tools employees use, their experiences and expectations of the workplace and how they perceive the organizations shaping the digital workplace.

Key findings from the survey include:

Office Mandates Surge, Employee Preference Doesn’t

Organizations have tightened attendance policies throughout 2025, marking a clear shift back toward greater office presence. The number of employees working in the office full-time stands at 56%, a 23-point increase year-on-year, and hybrid working has dropped to 40%. Despite this, three-quarters of employees still favour hybrid models, highlighting a widening gap between policy and preference.

Regional differences are significant: the US (67%) and UK (64%) show the highest full-time office attendance, whereas European markets maintain more balanced hybrid models. Industry divides are equally stark, with healthcare and public sector roles showing the most rigid in-office working patterns and technology firms being the most flexible.

“Organizations are regaining visibility of employees, but not necessarily their enthusiasm”, said Maria Bell, Senior Research Analyst at CCS Insight. “With the gap between policy and preference widening, the real test for business leaders will be earning attendance rather than enforcing it”.

Mobility Takes Over as Workers Fund Their Own Flexibility

The shift toward mobile-first work has accelerated sharply. Smartphones have now overtaken desktop PCs as everyday tools for work at home (76% compared with 74%), marking a major behavioural turning point. However, laptop use continues to rise, with 88% of employees relying on them across work locations.

Crucially, workers are increasingly funding mobility themselves, purchasing their own smartphones and tablets to support hybrid work, even as employers continue to supply laptops and desktops. This trend shows a quiet transfer of cost from organization to employee. Bola Rotibi, Research Director, Enterprise at CCS Insight, cautioned: “Organizations must ensure employee funding of devices doesn’t become a lasting expectation, as what begins as convenience should not open the door for employers to pass ongoing costs onto workers”.

Generative AI Becomes the Expectation, But Access Lags

Use of generative AI has expanded dramatically in 2025. The survey shows that 87% of employees now use generative AI for work, with weekly adoption rising sharply. Yet provision remains limited: only 24% of organizations have rolled it out to the entire workforce, and one in five employees cite lack of access as a top frustration.

Most employees use AI for practical, communication-focused tasks such as generating email responses, writing reports and summarizing content. However, uneven exposure has created divides in confidence. Senior executives are the most advanced users, whereas fully remote workers lag furthest behind.

“Adoption maturity is inconsistent”, added Rotibi. “Organizations must bridge the access and skills gaps if they want AI’s benefits to extend beyond early adopters”.

Well-Being Emerges as a Core Driver of Employee Experience

Employee experience is undergoing a shift as technology fundamentals improve. According to the survey, 83% of employees say their devices are good enough for the work they do, and satisfaction with software and IT systems remains high. As basic frustrations decline, employees are increasingly focused on how work feels, with work–life balance now the top driver of a positive experience (31%), followed by strong relationships (29%) and feeling valued (28%).

Despite feeling well equipped for hybrid work, many employees still struggle with managing multiple environments, maintaining boundaries and coping with the cognitive load of fragmented working patterns. The emotional impact of these routines has become more visible in 2025.

Generative AI is also reshaping how employees experience their work. Confidence and capability vary widely across the workforce, and the survey identifies five user groups ranging from early adopters to those who remain cautious. These differences influence how easily people complete tasks, how much they trust AI-generated content and the level of support they need. Understanding this spectrum of maturity is becoming essential to protecting well-being and ensuring that AI reduces, rather than adds to, the cognitive load of modern work.

“Employee experience has moved beyond the tools”, said Bell. “With the basics in place, the real differentiators now lie in long-term emotional well-being, workload clarity and the confidence to make new technologies work for everyone”.

About CCS Insight

CCS Insight is a global analyst company providing valuable insights and analysis to navigate the complex technology landscape. It offers comprehensive services tailored to meet the individual needs of its clients, helping them make sense of the connected world and optimize their strategies. CCS Insight was recently acquired by FDM, a leading player in telecom pricing and market share insights which is backed by private equity firm Inflexion. Learn more at ccsinsight.com.

CCS Insight media relations: emma.bluck@ccsinsight.com