Frameworks for a stronger in-office employee experience

During Ragan’s Employee Experience and Wellness Conference this past August, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) Executive Director for Workplace Experience Dr. Janel Field and JPM Head of Communications, Workplace Experience Darbe Polisano shared how communications and HR professionals alike can ensure a smoother return-to-office (RTO) for remote and hybrid employees by championing change, being a culture carrier, and using data and feedback to develop and effective communication strategy.

Here’s what we learned.

After opening with an exercise where attendees were asked to move to different sides of the room depending on whether they work in-office or remotely, and then weigh the pros and cons, Polisano and Field emphasized that attendees said the in-office experience is as important as working from home. Attendees also said that news stories about the pushback from RTO often negate the benefits.

At JPM, aligning the needs of individuals with the needs of the business can be much easier with an employee journey map. “When you think of your employee as a customer and you think about their journey to the office, it’s not just about the second they walk in the door and the second they leave,” said Field. “Too often that’s what we focus on. But instead, what we’d challenge you to think about is what happens on the front and the backside.”