JPMorgan Chase is reportedly poised to mandate a full five-day office week for thousands of its employees, signalling a further clampdown on remote and hybrid working models introduced during the pandemic.
The US banking giant, which employs over 300,000 people worldwide and roughly 22,000 in the UK, is expected to confirm the changes within weeks. JPMorgan has so far declined to comment.
Although managing directors were already ordered to return five days a week last April, many other employees have been operating under a three-day office requirement. The new measure would roll back pandemic-era flexibility in favour of the bank’s pre-Covid attendance policies.
Chief executive Jamie Dimon has previously voiced reservations about remote work, arguing that in-person collaboration accelerates decision-making, fosters creativity, and supports spontaneous learning for junior staff.
JPMorgan’s initiative comes as it prepares to open a new 60-storey skyscraper in Manhattan, set to be the bank’s latest global headquarters. Its policy shift is also mirrored by developments at other major firms such as Amazon, which this month began requiring its own workforce to return five days a week, moving away from a three-day office schedule.
Meanwhile, WPP, the advertising conglomerate employing over 100,000 workers, has warned staff that from April they will be expected to be in the office at least four days a week on average, including at least two Fridays a month.
This change follows a three-day requirement for staff at WPP’s headquarters, though its individual agencies have been free to set their own rules. In a memo to employees, chief executive Mark Read said more of WPP’s clients are moving in a similar direction, adding: “I believe that we do our best work when we are together in person. It’s easier to learn from each other, it’s a better way to mentor colleagues starting out in the industry, and it helps us win pitches as a truly integrated team.”
