Dimon says remote work fuels “rope‑a‑dope” politics and hampers young workers’ growth

(SeaPRwire) –   Jamie Dimon, who has served as the head of America’s largest bank, JPMorgan, for two decades, navigating multiple recessions, strongly criticized remote work and issued a stark warning to younger generations aspiring to career advancement: be present in the office.

“If you attend a meeting with me, you will have my complete and undivided attention throughout,” he stated on Tuesday at the Hill and Valley Forum, an event that convened leaders from Washington and Silicon Valley.

During a session titled “Wealth, Power, and the Next American Century,” Dimon asserted that remote work is only effective for specific roles, such as call centers. For all other employees, including young professionals and managers, he argued that in-person work is superior. He particularly emphasized the need for young people to work in the office as they are still in their learning phase.

“They gain knowledge by participating in sales calls. They learn by observing your errors. They learn by how you address those errors,” Dimon explained, adding that remote work also hinders the development of young people’s emotional intelligence.

Dimon described the issue as widespread, suggesting that managers should also become accustomed to being in the office. He likened video calls to the game show *Hollywood Squares*, where participants are arranged in a grid, arguing that they allow for significantly fewer check-ins compared to direct, in-person interactions. Working from home, Dimon claimed, leads to reduced project ownership, diminished curiosity, and, employing a Muhammad Ali analogy, exhausts people more quickly.

“There’s very little follow-up, a lot more strategic maneuvering, you know, rope-a-dope style politics,” he remarked.

Furthermore, he added, “many individuals are not paying attention at all,” as a considerable number are using their phones during video calls, a trend he admitted he didn’t notice initially.

These comments are not new for the 70-year-old executive, who has frequently voiced opposition to remote work for early-career employees, advocating for an “apprentice system” where junior staff learn from seasoned veterans.

“You cannot acquire knowledge working from your basement,” he stated in a *Bloomberg* interview last year.

Previously, Dimon has expressed frustration that remote work has made it harder to reach employees, especially on Fridays, which he believes is “not how you operate a successful company.”

Other executives, such as Amazon’s Andy Jassy and Instagram Chief Adam Mosseri, have also pushed for employees to return to the office five days a week over the past two years. However, not all business leaders share this view. *Shark Tank* personality and O’Leary Ventures chairman Kevin O’Leary has often championed remote work as a way to attract top talent. In a video earlier this month, O’Leary stated, “I’d rather employ someone who can perform effectively whether they are in their basement or their backyard.”

JPMorgan itself announced a five-day in-office policy last year, which prompted over 1,200 employees to sign a petition urging the company to maintain its flexible hybrid work model. During a town hall meeting last February, Dimon reportedly criticized employees for signing what he considered a pointless petition.

“Don’t waste your time on it,” Dimon reportedly said during the town hall. “I don’t care how many people sign that f—ing petition.”

Gen Z Resists

Despite Dimon’s assertions, young people are not enthusiastic about the prospect of working full-time from an office. While employers have utilized the unstable job market to compel employees back to the office full-time, nearly 40% of Gen Z and Millennial employees indicated they would accept a pay cut for greater flexibility in their work location, compared to 32% across all generations.

Research on remote work also does not entirely align with the statements made by executives like Dimon. A 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics analysis found a statistically significant positive correlation across 61 industries between the increase in remote work during the pandemic and productivity growth, among other favorable outcomes. Concurrently, Gallup’s State of the Workplace report from 2025 revealed that fully remote workers actually reported the highest engagement rates at 31%, in contrast to 23% for hybrid and on-site workers who are capable of remote work.

While Dimon acknowledged JPMorgan’s desire to keep its employees content, he also stated that the company must adapt to its customers’ demands.

“We are not in business for the sole purpose of making my employee happy. I am in business to ensure my customer is happy, and I want my employee to be happy, but not at the expense of the customer.”