JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, two of the largest banks in the U.S., have decided that some employees should work remotely during the first weeks of the year.
Though spokespersons at both banks had previously expressed a desire to keep everyone in the office, the omicron variant of COVID-19 has created setbacks.
Citigroup sent a memo to employees requesting that they work remotely due to rising COVID-19 rates, though the company’s leaders plan to reassess the situation later in January.
Many businesses have eagerly anticipated the return of all employees to offices, but Citigroup has been more open to remote work. Before its recent announcement, the company allowed numerous employees to choose a hybrid model with two in-office days per week.
JPMorgan, on the other hand, is more reluctant about remote work. Though the company is letting some employees work at home temporarily, a memo sent on Thursday stated that they must seek permission from their managers.
The memo also indicated that the temporary work-from-home allowance is related to COVID-19’s inevitable spread after holiday travel. Remote work will end once circumstances change.
JPMorgan plans to bring everyone back to the office by Feb. 1.
It’s no secret that many companies agree with JPMorgan about getting employees back to the office, but it’s unclear whether they’ll get what they want. Though the pandemic made remote work unavoidable, some employees have discovered that they prefer it.
Working from home eradicates commutes, enhances work-life balance, and sometimes decreases workflow interruptions.