The number of people coming into the office once a week has soared in recent months, as employers from Apple Inc. to Peloton set deadlines for office workers' return.

A full 50 percent of office appearances globally were just once a week in the second quarter, up from 44 percent in the first quarter, according to data from Basking.io, a workplace-occupancy analytics company. At the same time, the second quarter saw fewer people making the commute four to five days a week, especially in large cities.

Recession fears have many wondering whether a return-to-office crackdown might be around the corner. Major companies like Tesla Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. are at the forefront of this effort. Even bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell has said people need to be in the office to have a "sense of belonging." Yet, many employees feel comfortable ignoring mandates in the tight labor market, as the demand for workers far outpaces the supply.