CEO Jamie Dimon spoke bluntly to employees, telling them to accept that work is difficult.
Speaking with Patricia Devine, JPMorgan’s global head of corporate sales, at the Female Quotient lounge in Davos, Switzerland, Dimon presented a tough truth for employees seeking immediate satisfaction: “Every job has its tedious aspects. Accept it.”
Dimon’s guidance is particularly notable during a time of increasing disengagement among younger employees, a group that has recently experienced significant drops in workplace involvement according to , with Gen Z worker engagement falling by five percentage points from 2024 to 2025. A 2025 study from recruitment firm also indicates that the at a company for a Gen Z employee during their initial five years in the workforce has decreased to only 1.1 years. This represents a sharp difference from the 2.9-year average tenure for baby boomers during the early stages of their careers. Although the Randstad research links these brief tenures to an ambition for growth rather than mere job-hopping, Dimon believes young individuals should stick with a position to advance their professional path. He did not specify the duration he suggests a young person should remain in a role.
“Don’t switch jobs,” Dimon stated. “Some individuals are constantly contemplating their next move, and they’re undermining their own happiness when they should simply appreciate their current work.”
Dimon’s comments challenge the widely-praised emphasis on work-life balance at the expense of other considerations, like attractive salary and benefits, or meaningful work. Work-life balance currently dominates workplace conversations and has surpassed salary as the primary driver for job candidates, according to Randstad. Dimon has also stated that work-life balance should be important for his employees, particularly those with families. However, he maintains that to achieve this balance, individuals must “work intelligently.”
Nevertheless, the CEO asserts that nothing can replace diligent effort when it comes to achieving professional success.
“Work diligently. There’s no substitute,” Dimon remarked. “I continue to observe many individuals who believe they can take a shortcut to some remarkable achievement. That’s rarely the case.”
A generational reset
Younger employees are joining a workforce that is vastly different from what previous generations experienced. Many members of Gen Z entered the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic and have come to view remote or hybrid arrangements as standard. However, Dimon has suggested that this perspective could hinder professional development, telling Gen Z employees “you can’t learn from your basement,” after calling for corporate staff to resume full-time office work, noting that such a shift would drive innovation.
Nevertheless, Gen Z’s resistance might not stem from laziness. Some of the pushback relates to structural issues. Entry-level positions for young employees are diminishing as basic skills become increasingly automated, creating a gap where conventional early-career development previously occurred. In a separate interview with The Economist at the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos, Dimon urged people to “not bury their heads in the sand” regarding AI automation.
“It is what it is,” he stated, while acknowledging he would in the upcoming years due to AI.
Having an open mind and establishing purpose
In addition to encouraging employees to work hard, communicate concisely, and cultivate empathy, Dimon recommended that workers stay receptive to new possibilities, particularly during a period when career paths are rapidly evolving.
“Stay open to new relationships, switching positions, and exploring different opportunities,” he counseled, “that will lead to a successful career.”
Dimon also stressed the importance of having purpose in one’s profession. The “grunt work” he urges employees to tackle is not necessarily an obstacle, but rather a milestone on the path to achievement. He maintains that purpose can be discovered across various occupations, not only in banking and finance, but also in education or caregiving.
“When the Constitution mentions the pursuit of happiness, it refers to achieving something significant in life, performing meaningful work,” Dimon explained.