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JPMorgan Chase (JPM-1.08%) CEO Jamie Dimon said he regretted cursing during a recent company town hall but stands by the importance of the company’s new return-to-office policy.
Dimon said to CNBC, “I should never curse, ever,” when asked about his harsh remarks to a group of employees in Columbus, Ohio earlier this month.
At the time, the CEO said, “Don’t give me the s— that ‘work from home Friday’ works.” His language soured again when addressing an employee petition to reinstate hybrid work, saying, “I don’t care how many people sign that f—ing petition.”
“I shouldn’t get angry and stuff like that,” Dimon told CNBC (CMCSA-1.14%).
He went on to reiterate his core message around the company’s mandate ending hybrid work.
“I completely respect people that don’t want to go to the office all five days a week. That’s your right. It’s my right. It’s a citizen’s right,” he said. “But they should respect that the company is going to decide what’s good for the clients, the company, etc., not an individual. And so they can get a job — and I’m not being mean — they can get a job elsewhere.”
Dimon has remained steadfast in his defense of the new policy, which has drawn significant ire from his workers.
In a petition, employees said the new policy “is a great leap backward: It hurts employees, customers, shareholders, and the firm’s reputation.”
“From a corporate-citizenship perspective, it worsens traffic and pollution while disproportionately pushing out women, caregivers, senior employees, and individuals with disabilities,” the petition added. “Many of these are top performers, and many of them only able to join the workforce under hybrid work rules. This directly contradicts JPMC’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Speaking about the petition, Dimon said Monday: “I forgot how many people signed, 1,200 people. That’s fine. And they have the right to feel that way. But we’re not going to change. We’re going back to the office.”