The return back to work after Labor Day could look different for nearly 1 million Americans. Over a million American workers, including employees of FedEx, Zoom Communications, and Lyft, are set to leave their home offices behind after Labor Day. But will they all comply?

Office rates stand to go up 65% by the year's end. If this happens, attendance could skyrocket to 80% on popular in-office days like Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

However, the ride back to the office is far from smooth. The question is, what will that mean for a sudden influx of employees rushing to work?

73% of companies are grappling with the challenges of this transition. Some of them are even seeing increased employee exits when in-person work is mandated. Some companies are downsizing their office space.

The lesson: Companies need to weigh the real cost of unused office space and the value of employee preferences. How would a return to office mandate affect your decision to stay at your job?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices