Small biz owners scale back their office space or go remote altogether. Some move to the suburbs

By MAE ANDERSON
AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The pandemic has had a transformative effect on the office space landscape. Many businesses are shifting away from traditional spaces toward hybrid work and more flexible, collaborative spaces. About 23% of U.S. office space is available, compared with 16% before the pandemic, according to global real estate advisor Avison Young. While the real estate decisions of big companies get much of the attention, small business owners are also reassessing what they need in terms of an office. Some are finding more bang for their buck in the suburbs. Others are scaling back on square footage, and still others are deciding to go permanently remote.