HR leaders are typically the ones to manage return-to-office policies. But just because they’re enforcing them, doesn’t mean they believe that they’re best for workers.

56% of HR leaders say they’re being pressured by CEOs to mandate in-office work arrangements, according to a new report of 1,000 human resource leaders from people-focused software platform Leapsome. However, 70% believe that collaboration can be just as effective out of the office and 79% say allowing employees to choose their work environment is best for productivity.

“During COVID we all learned that remote works, and that it helps people, and in fact, employees ask for it,” says Luck Dookchitra, VP of people and culture at Leapsome. “So there is a unique tension that arises, especially if [an RTO] policy is driven solely by leadership.”

Ensuring that HR leaders are able to manage CEO expectations while keeping their people happy certainly isn’t an easy task. However, Dookchitra says it helps if HR leaders can get to the root of why executives are so keen on getting workers back into the office, and share that sentiment in a way employees can relate to. She says that explaining the “why” behind such a directive is just as important as explaining the “how.”

“Even if you’re against it personally, you need to find a reason why,” says Dookchitra. “I think why it feels so stressful for HR leaders because they’re not providing a reason, many of them are just putting out a directive, and hoping for the best, which often doesn’t go well.” 

Dookchitra advises that when CHROs approach CEOs about RTO policies, they must be prepared, especially if they’re taking the opposing side. That means having data and insights from their own organization to see how policy changes are affecting the company on a larger scale. 

“Most of the time you don’t have an option, you have to agree and commit,” says Dookchitra. “So it’s really important to put forward the data, insights from your own organization, on employee sentiment and candidate feedback; so at the end of the day you have what you need to make your point, whether or not it’s going to go your way.”

Brit Morse
brit.morse@fortune.com

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