With the lazy days of summer now over, a growing number of employers are refocusing on mandating a return to the office—including video conferencing company Zoom, which came to symbolize remote work during the pandemic.

In fact, the number of U.S. organizations with return-to-office mandates is expected to rise post-Labor Day from its current 50% to 80% by the end of the year, according to a report from real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).

Before HR leaders roll out return-to-office requirements, they should address the elephant in the room with their CEO—Why does the organization actually need workers in the office?—says Brad Bell, professor of strategic human resources and director of the Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations.