JPMorgan Chase’s 5-day Office Mandate Irks Employees: ‘Spotty Wifi, Sick Woworkers’
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JPMorgan Chase had announced in January that its hybrid mode employees would return to the office five days a week starting March.
Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s Chairman and CEO, has remained adamant that in-office presence improves collaboration. (Photo Credit: X)
JP Morgan Chase’s return-to-office mandate faced heavy criticism from employees, who expressed frustration over workspace shortages, unreliable Wi-Fi, and disruptive office environments. This week marked JP Morgan Chase’s first full-time office return for all the employees since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The US financial services major announced in January that its hybrid mode employees would return to office five days a week starting in March.
However, the decision has not been well-received by the staff. While companies push for full-time office returns, they’ve faced criticism from employees, who argued that remote and hybrid options offer more flexibility and better work-life balance.
Many employees have been advocating to make remote and hybrid work options the new norm. However, Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase’s Chairman and CEO, has remained adamant that in-office presence improves collaboration, and innovation among employees, strengthening the company culture.
40% hybrid employees asked to return full-time
Prior to this new policy, over half of JPMorgan’s workforce was already working full-time from the office. According to a report by Fortune, the policy changes have been far from smooth for the bank’s employees who are now struggling with issues including lack of space, and having to deal with sick coworkers.
While the US bank has implemented a desk reservation system, employees told Fortune that it doesn’t work consistently everywhere. Many branches still follow a ‘first come, first serve’ policy, which has added to the frustration of the unwelcome transition.
Employees complained that the issue has led them to be seated away from their teams, which works against the company’s focus on fostering closer collaboration.
Following the January announcement, 40% of the bank’s 317,233 employees were scheduled to return to the office five days a week, up from the previous three. Some employees returned on March 3, while others are set to return on March 10.
At some places, such as the regional headquarters in Ohio, the status of return remains “not determined” adding to the uncertainty.
Notably, some employees launched a petition in February seeking the rollback of the policy. However, Dimon had stated at the time that he didn’t care about the pushback.
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