JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently sparked a debate by saying that it’s mostly “people in the middle” complaining about returning to the office. In an interview at Stanford University, Dimon talked about the bank’s decision to make employees return to the office five days a week starting in March. “If you work in a restaurant, you’ve got to be in.
You may not know this, but 60% of Americans worked the whole time,” Dimon said. He pointed out that many frontline workers, like those in delivery, manufacturing, healthcare, and public service, kept working in person during the pandemic without complaining. White-collar workers, who usually have more flexibility in where they can work, have reacted differently to being told to return to the office in recent years.
Some employees have embraced going back, while others have pushed back against the requirements. “I completely respect people who don’t want to go to the office all five days a week. That’s your right. It’s my right. It’s a citizen’s right,” Dimon previously told CNBC. “But they should respect that the company is going to decide what’s good for the clients, the company, etc., not an individual.”
Office return debate intensifies at JPMorgan
Dimon wants employees back in the office because he’s worried about younger workers. “To have the younger people coming in but not their bosses — I have a problem with that too,” he said. This suggests he thinks senior employees need to be there to mentor and develop less experienced staff.
JPMorgan Chase announced the return-to-office mandate in January, officially starting in March. The decision has led to mixed reactions within the company and the wider business world. While some employees are adjusting, others continue to express their dissatisfaction.
For now, Dimon is sticking to his position. He emphasizes the need for everyone to take responsibility and the advantages he believes in-person work brings to the organization and its clients. JPMorgan Chase has not yet responded to a request for more comments on how the return-to-office policy is implemented and its impact.
Photo by Marc Mueller on Pexels