Employees are returning to major urban centers due to a decrease in remote work, as a result of grim labor markets and increased return to office (RTO) mandates. This shift was noted in the State of Global Hiring by payroll and human resources service company Deel. The company noted that while flexible work arrangements had allowed employees to move to locations where they could perform their jobs remotely, the trend of businesses tightening RTO rules has now led many workers to return to big U.S. cities. The return of employees to urban centers is attributed to the evolution of labor markets, particularly the types of jobs most prevalent in the tight employment environment.