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A senior executive at JPMorgan Chase has called for greater urgency from employees, just days after CEO Jamie Dimon dismissed resistance to the bank’s strict return-to-office (RTO) mandate.
In a memo to over 25,000 employees last week, Rohan Amin, chief product officer for the Chase consumer division, stressed the need for “more hustle and scrappiness.”
He pointed to a lack of engagement in an internal artificial intelligence feedback initiative, which received fewer than five responses, and cited internal red tape as an obstacle to better results.
His remarks come as the bank continues to enforce its five-day office requirement, a policy that has sparked frustration among some employees. While some staff pushed back against Amin’s message, others provided constructive feedback following his call to action, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Acknowledging concerns about workplace adjustments, real estate constraints, and employee uncertainty, Amin still pressed workers for greater effort. “That said, I have to ask: where’s the hustle?” he wrote.
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Dimon doubles down on RTO
Separately, Dimon reiterated his firm stance on in-office work during an interview with CNBC, stating that while he respects employees who prefer remote work, the company will not alter its approach.
“I am not against working from home, I am against where it doesn’t work,” he said, emphasizing that the policy benefits both clients and the business. He added that 10% of roles within the bank remain fully remote.
Some employees have, however, responded to the return-to-office policy by exploring unionization efforts. The Communications Workers of America has received inquiries from JPMorgan staff on establishing a labor union, rare in the finance industry. A petition backing the effort has garnered 1,200 signatures, Dimon confirmed.
His dismissal of workplace flexibility concerns was evident during an internal meeting earlier this month. When asked about the petition, he reportedly told staff: “Don’t waste time on it. I don’t care how many people sign that f*****g petition,” according to a Reuters report.
Organizations that are either committed to hybrid or remote working, or contemplating a return to office are watching the play book of major corporations such as JPMorgan with interest to see how employees react, what works best and how to successfully implement policy changes with minimal impact on morale.
