JPMorgan Chase Calls Employees Back to Office Full-Time
JPMorgan Chase, the largest private employer in central Ohio, is requiring its hybrid workforce to return to the office five days a week starting in March.
JPMorgan Chase employs approximately 18,600 people in the region. The company communicated their decision to employees on Friday. In the email to staff, JPMorgan Chase noted that over half of its roughly 300,000 employees already work in the office full-time.
“We know that some of you prefer a hybrid schedule and respectfully understand that not everyone will agree with this decision,” the company wrote. “We are now a few years out of the pandemic and have had the time to evaluate the benefits and challenges of remote and hybrid working. We feel that now is the right time to solidify our full-time in-office approach. We think it is the best way to run the company… The benefits of working together in person are substantial and irreplaceable.”
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JPMorgan Chase’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, has been a strong long-time advocate for in-person work— believing it enhances creativity and teamwork.
By the end of January, JPMorgan Chase will confirm which office locations can accommodate the returning employees. However, concerns have come up on social media about parking capacity, especially at the Polaris office. Certain teams whose work can be “easily and clearly measured” will be exempt from the requirement, though the company did not specify which teams. Additionally, accommodations will be made for employees needing extra time to manage family or other personal matters.
This decision is part of a broader trend among major corporations, including AT&T, Amazon, and Walmart, that are curtailing remote work. Amazon required employees to return three days a week in 2023 and is now mandating a full return to the office.
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In April 2023, JPMorgan’s managing directors were required to return to the office full-time, and now the new mandate extends to all employees. Currently, about 60% of JPMorgan’s workforce is already working from the office five days a week. This latest move will bring the remaining 40% in line with the same requirement.
