Your worst boss and is hybrid dying?

I was on the Today programme yesterday at 8.50am, talking about what JP Morgan’s new 60-floor, 19-restaurant (including an English pub) really means for anyone who wants to work remote or hybrid.

My shout: “not as much as you might think”.

The £3 billion build was a pre-Covid decision that CEO Jamie Dimon is leaning into as part of their always-on, alpha culture.

If it illustrates anything, it’s the bifurcation of employer offers: if you want people to choose a job in an office over time at home, you need to make it very appealing.

And most people do want to be able to work from home which is why this move doesn’t reflect a bigger trend: working from home data in the US has been pretty stable since 2023.

As for a British pub in a modern skyscraper, there‘s little that gets my goat like fake antique paneling.

Naturally I did this from my own home office because I don’t have a boss asking me to come into a central office, thank goodness. But obviously a lot of people do, so…

Bosses

I asked a room full of brokers last week who their worst boss ever was. Mostly they pointed at each other and laughed.

Except for Anthony Scaramucci, who speaking after me, who yelled “his first name was Donald” to even more laughter.

And it struck me. There are so many factors that make a bad boss. But the one that underlines all the others and is inescapable is that they kill your energy and enthusiasm for work. Yes I am watching the brilliant leads on the latest Slow Horses with feelings of recognition.

What did you worst boss do for you…or have you ever realised that the worst boss might in fact be staring back at you in the mirror?

Another Way

If that energy drain feels familiar, there’s still time to join the waiting list for our “Fine on Paper” programme launching in November.

This is a six week programme, with me, aimed at leaders who are lost. It will unlock the next step of your career in terms of identifying what you want, reinvigorating your networks, increasing your perceived status and releasing your energy for change. Without dramatic moves that might upend your income.

Let me know if you want to hear more.

Christine

PS. Bookings for October 2026 are already coming in. If you’d like to secure next year at this year’s rate, just let Elaine know before November. Unless it’s somewhere beautiful and sunny, in which case I might pay you to have me there after all the rain.