Hybrid Work Growth and its Impact

In the post-pandemic world, hybrid work models have transformed where and how people work and their shopping habits. With more flexible schedules, many workers are shifting their errands, including grocery shopping, to weekdays rather than the traditionally busy weekends. Flexibility in working from home has allowed consumers to shop more on traditionally less busy weekdays, with about 35% of workers in remote-capable jobs still working from home full-time, up from 7% pre-pandemic. With nearly 60% of hybrid workers working from home three or more days, weekdays have opened for activities typically reserved for weekends.

According to JPMorgan, the return to office rates in the U.S. shows notable regional differences. While 69% of respondents from major U.S. cities are now back in the office regularly—lagging behind the global average of 79%—Boston is leading the way with 77% of workers in the office 4.2 days per week. By contrast, cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. are trailing, with fewer in-office days on average. These trends reflect the dominance of tech tenants on the West Coast, who favor hybrid work models, and the slower push for in-office mandates in D.C.’s government sector. In cities like Boston and NYC, industries such as financial services and life sciences drive higher office attendance, with 62% of NYC respondents noting employer requirements for regular or full-time in-office work.

Weekday Retail Visits on the Rise

The data shows a shift in patterns in retail properties across the U.S., with recent visits on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays rising, especially as workers leverage their hybrid schedules. Between 2019 and 2023, average store visits on weekdays (Monday through Thursday) have steadily increased, with Wednesday seeing the highest growth at 9.1%, and Friday seeing a decline of 6.3%.

In 2023, retail store visits saw notable growth on weekdays, particularly from Tuesday to Thursday, with increases of 3.4% on Tuesday, 0.2% on Wednesday, and 4.6% on Thursday year-over-year. This uptick reflects the changing shopping behaviors as consumers spread their visits more evenly throughout the week. Year-to-date in 2024, Monday through Wednesday have shown positive growth, with Monday up by 2.3%, Tuesday by 1.7%, and Wednesday seeing a slight rise of 0.2%. These trends show that more workers are utilizing their weekdays for shopping, avoiding the crowded weekend rush, and we anticipate that holiday shopping will further boost these figures as the year progresses.

U.S. Retail Average Store Visits

Source: Colliers & RetailStat Real Estate Intelligence

Shifting Shopping Patterns

Many hybrid workers report that working from home helps them balance their work and personal lives, making it easier to run errands, such as shopping, during their lunch breaks or on days when they aren’t commuting to the office. This positive impact on work-life balance is a promising sign for brick-and-mortar retail.

For example, despite Saturday being the most popular day for grocery store visits, it saw a slight decline of 0.39% in 2023. Interestingly, Tuesday and Thursday had lower average store visits and showed positive growth compared to the previous year. Tuesday visits grew by 0.35%, and Thursday visits saw a more robust increase of 1.20%, indicating a shift in shopping patterns as more consumers opt for mid-week shopping, potentially due to flexible work schedules and the desire to avoid the weekend crowds.

Retailers Adjust to the New Normal

Retailers are responding to the increase in weekday foot traffic by expanding product offerings and tailoring promotions to attract customers during traditionally quieter periods. The rise of hybrid work schedules has shifted consumer habits, with more shoppers taking advantage of flexible hours to visit stores between Monday and Thursday. Target and Costco capitalize on this trend by offering exclusive in-store promotions and early product releases, creating a sense of urgency for weekday visits. By strategically optimizing operations and promotions, these retailers are successfully capturing a larger share of weekday shoppers and adapting to evolving consumer behavior.