JPMorgan Chase Requires Fingerprint or Eye Scans for Main Office Admission

The financial institution has told employees working at its state-of-the-art corporate base in Manhattan that they must share their physical characteristics to gain entry the multi-billion building.

Shift from Voluntary to Mandatory

The investment bank had originally envisioned for the registration of employee biometrics at its Manhattan high-rise to be optional.

Nevertheless, staff of the leading financial institution who have commenced employment at the corporate hub since this summer have been sent communications stating that biometric access was now "required".

How Biometric Access Works

Biometric access requires employees to provide their eye patterns to gain access entry points in the main floor rather than swiping their identification cards.

Building Specifications and Capacity

The bank's headquarters, which reportedly was built for $3bn to build, will eventually function as a workplace for 10,000 staff members once it is completely filled later this year.

Protection Reasoning

The financial company did not provide a statement but it is assumed that the employment of physical identifiers for admission is intended to make the facility better protected.

Alternative Access Methods

There are exemptions for specific personnel who will retain the ability to use a ID card for access, although the criteria for who will use more traditional ID access remains unspecified.

Additional Technological Features

Alongside the implementation of biometric readers, the organization has also introduced the "Corporate Access" smartphone application, which acts as a electronic pass and hub for employee services.

The application permits employees to coordinate visitor access, use indoor maps of the building and arrange in advance food from the facility's 19 food service providers.

Security Context

The introduction of tighter entry controls comes as American companies, notably those with substantial activities in NYC, look to enhance safety following the attack of the top executive of one of the biggest American insurance companies in summer.

The CEO, the leader of the insurance giant, was the victim of the attack not far from the bank's location.

Additional Office Considerations

It is not known if JP Morgan aims to introduce the biometric system for staff at its branches in other important economic centers, such as London.

Employee Tracking Developments

The decision comes within discussion over the use of systems to track workers by their organizations, including monitoring workplace presence.

Earlier this year, all JP Morgan workers on flexible arrangements were directed they have to report to the workplace full-time.

Executive Perspective

The bank's chief executive, Jamie Dimon, has referred to the bank's new 60-storey headquarters as a "impressive representation" of the company.

The executive, one of the influential banking figures, recently warned that the likelihood of the US stock market experiencing a decline was far greater than many investors believed.