As companies reset workplace routines this fall, new report offers a five-step framework for making return-to-office decisions based on business needs, workforce data and measurable outcomes

WASHINGTON — While polling shows that only a small minority of remote-capable U.S. workers prefer to be in the office full time, research indicates that a large majority of CEOs expect a full return to the office in the years ahead: a stark divide that employers will increasingly have to navigate, according to a new report from HRCI®.

“There’s a serious disconnect in the American workforce and it will be HR’s responsibility to manage it,” said Dr. Amy Dufrane, CEO of HRCI.

The divide is particularly relevant as summer ends, families settle into new school-year routines and employers reset expectations about where and how work gets done. Major companies continue to increase in-office requirements, even as workers overwhelmingly prefer some form of flexibility: 61% favor hybrid work and 33% would choose to work fully remote.

HRCI’s new report, Managing the Changing Workplace: A Framework for HR, argues the answer is not simply choosing between remote work and the office. There is no across-the-board policy that works for every organization. Instead, employers should start with the business problem they are trying to solve, then use workforce data to develop, test and measure the approach that works for their organization.

“There’s no single right answer when it comes to return-to-office policies,” Dufrane said. “Mandates can impact recruiting, retention and morale, but remote work also brings cultural challenges. What’s important is that organizations weigh all factors, make measured decisions and take a deliberate approach.”

HRCI’s research suggests return-to-office decisions carry tradeoffs that employers need to measure rather than assume. Fully 83% of HR professionals surveyed by HRCI say remote or hybrid work is good for an organization. Yet about half say their organization has enacted some form of return-to-office policy in the past five years, and a solid majority say those policies have negatively affected employee morale. Almost one-quarter say they have negatively affected productivity.

At the same time, HR professionals acknowledge the challenges of remote work. More than half say it can reduce employees’ sense of belonging, 47% say it can weaken identification with a team or company and 42% cite reduced collaboration.

“We have to understand the problems we are trying to solve before we reach for a solution,” Dufrane said.

The report finds strong support among HR professionals for workplace flexibility. Seventy-nine percent say it creates a more flexible workplace, 69% say it promotes a healthier work-life balance and 54% say it increases retention.

Rather than using national trends or company history as a blueprint, HRCI says HR professionals are well positioned to help leadership determine what their own organization actually needs. The report offers a five-step framework:

1. Start with the business problem, not the policy. Identify what the organization is trying to improve—whether collaboration, culture, mentorship, productivity, client requirements or another business need—before setting attendance requirements.
2. Audit existing data. Review engagement, turnover, tenure, real estate utilization and manager feedback before relying on outside benchmarks.
3. Match the policy to the role. Different teams and functions may require different levels of in-person work, making a single organization-wide mandate less effective.
4. Pilot before you mandate. Test changes with smaller groups and measure impact before implementing broadly.
5. Track outcomes, not just attendance. Badge swipes and office occupancy measure compliance, not whether a policy improved engagement, retention, productivity or morale.

HR can play a central role in that process by connecting workforce data with business strategy and helping leaders understand how policy changes affect recruiting, retention, engagement and performance.

“That solution needs to be grounded in data, tested and then monitored to ensure it’s having the intended impact,” Dufrane said. “Decisions about where we work are best viewed as an ongoing conversation and not a policy we can set and forget.”

The full report, Managing the Changing Workplace: A Framework for HR, is available here. Dr. Dufrane is available for interviews.

About HRCI

HRCI is the career partner for the human resource profession, supporting HR professionals and the organizations that rely on them. Through applied learning, professional connection, and globally trusted standards, HRCI helps HR thrive as the workplace evolves. For decades, HRCI has set the standard for HR excellence, building a community of certified professionals in over 150 countries. By connecting strategy to practice, HRCI equips HR leaders with the real-world knowledge to drive business forward and shape the Future of Work. Learn more at hrci.org.

About Dr. Dufrane

Dr. Amy Dufrane is a global leader in human resources and workplace management. As CEO of HRCI, the career partner for the HR profession, she brings decades of experience in human capital management and employee wellness to interviews and media appearances. Dufrane helps set the standard for HR, serving as the international secretariat for global HR standards through ISO, the International Organization for Standardization. Her honors include the Global Impact Award of Distinction from the Bowman Foundation for Workplace Equity and Mental Wellness and the Globee Award for Women in Business. She is a four-time member of the annual Top 100 HR Tech Influencer list. Under her leadership, HRCI was named a 2024, 2025 and 2026 Top Workplace by WTOP News and the 2023 ISA Business of the Year.

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