'You've got to be in' | Remote work 'doesn't work' in banking, says JPMorgan boss Dimon

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has (yet again) reiterated his opposition to remote work, claiming it "doesn’t work in our business."

Speaking to students at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, Dimon voiced frustration with the concept of remote work, saying he had "had enough" of virtual arrangements. His comments followed leaked remarks in which he used strong language to defend JPMorgan's decision to end hybrid work.

Dimon said the only employees resistant to the office return were "the people in the middle," such as corporate staff. "If you work in a restaurant, you’ve got to be in," he told students, emphasizing that many roles never had the option to work remotely during the pandemic. He referenced sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics to illustrate that in-person roles remained essential.

"Where did you get your Amazon packages from? Your beef, your meat, your vodka?" he asked, stressing that remote work has not been universal.

JPMorgan mandates five-day office return

Dimon’s remarks come as JPMorgan Chase is telling employees to return to the office five days a week, starting this month. While acknowledging that some staff may choose to resign over the policy, Dimon said he respected those decisions but maintained that the firm’s leadership must determine its own work structure.

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"I also completely defend your right to say, 'I don't want to.' But I don’t defend your right to tell me what JPMorgan’s gonna do," he said. "That’s what’s called a free market."

While rejecting widespread remote work, Dimon noted that only 10% of JPMorgan employees work from home full-time. He highlighted virtual call centers in Baltimore and Detroit as examples of remote teams that are "highly effective," adding that these centers were established to support minority employees.

Concerns over junior employees' development

Dimon also argued that remote work risks disadvantaging younger employees who need mentorship and guidance to develop their careers. "Younger people are being left behind," he said, warning that remote workers risk missing out on assignments, conversations, and learning opportunities essential for professional growth.

He stressed the importance of in-person communication, particularly for roles requiring collaboration. "When we meet in the morning, we talk, we have these debates, all day long we’re talking," he said. "It doesn’t work in our business. And for culture... it’s impossible to do culture."

Dimon also criticized virtual meetings, claiming employees are often distracted by their phones during Zoom calls.

JPMorgan’s committed stance reflects growing debate over remote work practices, with many organizations weighing flexibility against productivity and collaboration concerns.