The return-to-office (RTO) mandate has become a contentious topic as companies across industries seek to recalibrate their workplace policies in 2025.
Two prominent corporations that have recently announced such policies are JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), a global financial powerhouse, and WPP, a leading advertising and communications conglomerate.
Despite operating in vastly different industries, their reasons for advocating RTO reflect shared priorities as well as distinct operational needs. The following explores the similarities and differences in their approaches to RTO, and sheds light on the broader implications for the modern workplace.
The Similarities
1. The Importance of Collaboration
Both JPMC and WPP emphasise the value of in-person collaboration as a central justification for their RTO mandates. Collaboration is universally recognised as a cornerstone of organisational success, enabling teams to share ideas, solve problems, and innovate more effectively.
- JPMC: In the world of finance, where decision-making is often high-stakes and time-sensitive, the ability to communicate and collaborate in real time is critical. JPMC’s leadership believes that the physical office environment fosters faster problem-solving and facilitates immediate access to decision-makers, clients, and support teams.
- WPP: Similarly, in the creative realm of advertising, collaboration is essential for brainstorming, ideation, and refining campaigns. WPP views the office as a hub where diverse talents converge to spark creativity and produce compelling work that meets client expectations.
Both companies argue that the synergy created through face-to-face interactions cannot be fully replicated in remote or hybrid setups, even with advanced digital tools.
2. Rebuilding Company Culture
The preservation and reinforcement of company culture are key drivers behind both mandates. After years of remote and hybrid work, many organisations have observed a dilution of cultural cohesion and employee engagement.
- JPMC: For JPMC, the return to the office is a way to reinforce its corporate ethos of excellence, discipline, and high performance. The bank’s leadership has emphasised that younger employees, in particular, benefit from being immersed in the workplace culture, where they can learn directly from seasoned professionals.
- WPP: WPP’s leadership shares similar concerns, albeit with a creative twist. The company believes that its open, collaborative culture—essential for producing innovative campaigns—is best nurtured through in-person interactions. For WPP, the physical office serves as a crucible for the creative process, where culture and collaboration intertwine.
3. Productivity Concerns
While neither company has explicitly criticised remote work, their RTO mandates imply concerns about potential productivity losses. Both organisations seem to believe that certain tasks and outcomes are best achieved in an office setting.
- JPMC, for instance, has subtly linked in-person work to enhanced performance in roles that require extensive collaboration, mentorship, and oversight.
- WPP, on the other hand, has noted that creative processes often benefit from the serendipitous encounters and spontaneous idea-sharing that are more likely to occur in an office environment.
4. Leadership Messaging
Both JPMC and WPP have relied on strong leadership messaging to advocate their RTO policies. Senior executives in both organisations have publicly articulated their belief in the benefits of in-office work, framing it as a strategic move to strengthen their companies.
The Differences
While the overarching goals of JPMC and WPP’s RTO policies align, their justifications and approaches diverge significantly due to the distinct nature of their industries.
1. Nature of Work
The fundamental difference between financial services and advertising is the nature of their work—structured and compliance-driven versus fluid and creative.
- JPMC: The finance industry thrives on structured workflows, rigorous compliance standards, and hierarchical decision-making. Roles at JPMC often involve risk assessment, financial modelling, and regulatory adherence—tasks that demand precision, accountability, and immediate access to leadership. These requirements make physical presence in the office more conducive to productivity.
- WPP: In contrast, WPP operates in an environment where creativity and innovation take precedence. The advertising industry relies heavily on collaborative ideation, visual design, and storytelling. These activities often benefit from a shared physical space that fosters spontaneous discussions and hands-on collaboration.
2. Operational Needs
The operational imperatives of the two industries also influence their RTO policies.
- JPMC: Financial services are often high-stakes and time-sensitive, requiring swift, real-time communication. In-person meetings can streamline decision-making and reduce the lag associated with virtual communication, especially in complex scenarios involving multiple stakeholders.
- WPP: For WPP, the operational need is less about speed and more about the quality of creative output. The company’s emphasis is on creating an environment where teams can experiment, iterate, and refine their ideas collaboratively.
3. Employee Development
The way each company views employee development highlights another key difference.
- JPMC: The bank has explicitly stated that its RTO policy is designed to benefit younger employees by exposing them to in-person mentoring and on-the-job learning. The leadership believes that physical presence accelerates professional growth by facilitating direct interactions with experienced colleagues.
- WPP: While WPP’s focus on employee development is less explicit, the company’s mandate reflects a broader commitment to team synergy and collective creativity. For WPP, the return to office is about creating a shared environment where employees can feed off each other’s energy and ideas.
4. Employee Pushback
The level and nature of employee resistance to the RTO mandates vary between the two companies, reflecting cultural norms within their industries.
- JPMC: Reports suggest that JPMC employees are considering unionisation in response to the mandate. This indicates a more formal, structured form of dissent, consistent with the bank’s corporate culture.
- WPP: WPP employees have expressed their dissatisfaction through a petition signed by thousands. This collective action reflects the more open and collaborative culture of the advertising industry, where teamwork and shared values often extend to activism.
5. Geographic Factors
The geographic locations of the two companies’ offices also play a role in shaping their RTO policies.
- JPMC: With offices in major financial hubs like New York and London, JPMC’s employees face dense commuting challenges. However, these cities also offer robust infrastructure, making the transition to in-office work more manageable.
- WPP: WPP’s offices are located in highly creative urban centres, where proximity to clients, agencies, and creative resources enhances the value of in-person work. For WPP, returning to the office is as much about external collaboration as it is about internal teamwork.
Key Takeaways and Broader Implications
The RTO mandates of JPMC and WPP illustrate both the shared challenges and unique opportunities faced by companies across industries as they navigate the post-pandemic workplace.
- Common Ground: Both organisations view RTO as a means to enhance collaboration, rebuild culture, and address productivity concerns. Their policies highlight the enduring value of physical offices, even in an increasingly digital world.
- Industry-Specific Needs: The differences between JPMC and WPP’s mandates underscore the importance of tailoring workplace policies to the unique demands of each industry. While JPMC’s focus is on structure, compliance, and mentorship, WPP prioritises creativity, team synergy, and external collaboration.
- Employee Sentiment: The pushback from employees at both companies highlights the need for organisations to balance corporate goals with employee well-being. Open communication and flexibility will be key to ensuring a smooth transition.
As the debate over RTO continues, the experiences of JPMC and WPP will offer valuable lessons for other organisations. And by understanding the similarities and differences in their approaches, companies will be better placed to craft strategies that align with their own operational priorities while addressing the evolving expectations of their workforce.
No doubt within the next couple of years we will have solid case studies around the success or otherwise of these decisive RTO mandates that have been initiated in recent weeks.
