• JPMorgan’s CEO Jamie Dimon expressed strong criticism of remote work in a recent audio clip that has gained significant attention.
• His comments have sparked reactions from both proponents of remote work and advocates for a return to the office.
• Billionaire investor Bill Ackman praised Dimon’s statements on the platform X, calling it “a must listen.”

An audio recording featuring Jamie Dimon’s sharp critique of remote work is gaining traction, prompting discussions from both supporters and detractors of work-from-home arrangements.

On Elon Musk’s platform X, several users voiced their approval of the JPMorgan Chase CEO’s defense of the bank’s five-day return-to-office requirement, initially reported by the financial outlet Barrons.

“I’m in agreement with Jamie,” said Quentin Kasseh, CEO of the data and AI company Syntaxia, on X. He emphasized that “no groundbreaking projects, like the Manhattan Project, were accomplished through Zoom calls.”

Hedge fund mogul Bill Ackman also supported Dimon, stating on X: “He is entirely correct. We can all learn from his perspective. It’s a must listen.”

The audio clip, which Business Insider has verified, has already garnered 1.7 million views on TikTok. In it, Dimon employs colorful language and humorous anecdotes to convey to his audience why he believes remote work hampers productivity at his firm.

“Many of you were on the Zoom call and were doing the following,” Dimon stated in the recording, “browsing your email, texting each other about how annoying someone is, and not paying attention to your tasks.”

Dimon reiterated his commitment to the bank’s COVID-era hybrid work policy, which is set to conclude in March.

“And don’t talk to me about how work-from-home Fridays are effective,” Dimon insisted. “I make numerous calls on Fridays, and there’s hardly anyone available.”

As reported by Business Insider in January, JPMorgan is mandating that all employees return to the office five days a week starting in March. This return-to-office directive will impact less than 30% of the bank’s workforce, predominantly affecting back-office employees, including those in tech roles.

Some viewers of the recording seized the opportunity to advocate for remote work.

“Working from home is exponentially better,” remarked one TikTok user. “I can take notes during meetings, I feel more energetic without the commute, and my overall productivity has increased.”

“Newsflash: we engage in the same activities in the office,” countered another user.

Others pointed out that the real issue might be excessive and unnecessary meetings.

“Unproductive meetings are the pinnacle of inefficiency,” commented one TikTok user. “I can’t stand working seven hours of meetings that stretch an eight-hour workday into 12 hours, with nothing accomplished.”

If you are employed at JPMorgan, feel free to contact this reporter at ebrownstein@businessinsider.com or for confidential messages, reach out via the encrypted app Signal at 305-857-5516.