How to Overcome Proximity Bias: Building an Inclusive Workplace
The term ”proximity bias” has been around since the 1970s, but with the rise of remote and hybrid work, it’s reaching new heights. So, what is it exactly? Proximity bias (or distance bias) is the tendency of leaders to favor workers who are physically present or closer to them. If left unchecked, it can put remote workers at a significant disadvantage.
In fact, half of business leaders think that when employees are working “out of sight,” they don’t work as hard. Research shows that 67% of supervisors perceive remote workers as more replaceable than on-site workers, and 42% of managers admit they sometimes forget about remote workers when assigning tasks.
Although the outlook seems concerning, HR professionals can help their organizations conquer proximity bias in the workplace with the right strategies. We’ll explore different ways to build an inclusive working environment where all employees feel seen, valued, and heard—regardless of where, when, or how they work.
Contents
What is proximity bias?
Causes of proximity bias
How can HR address proximity bias in the workplace?
Real-life company examples of proximity bias
The road toward reducing proximity bias in the workplace
What is proximity bias?
Proximity bias refers to the tendency for leadership to prefer those who are physically present or close to them, whether it’s sharing the same location, workspace, or social circles.
This type of bias can show up in various ways. These include favoring office-based team members, promoting employees based on personal relationships, or excluding remote employees from important conversations, meetings, and career opportunities.
Why is proximity bias important to tackle?
If left unchecked, proximity bias can lead to unfair and unequal treatment of employees. Particularly, remote workers are often overlooked in important discussions, decisions, and opportunities (compared to on-site employees). Proximity bias can further increase discrimination, which is still a problem in today’s workplaces.
By addressing proximity bias, HR teams can create a more inclusive workplace where all employees have equal opportunities to thrive. Plus, research shows that more diverse workplaces achieve higher levels of innovation, talent retention, and financial performance.
Causes of proximity bias
Understanding the causes of proximity bias is a critical step on the journey toward eliminating it.
- Proximity bias in the traditional workplace: In a traditional office setting, employees who work on-site are often more visible to their supervisors and colleagues. They may be seen working diligently at their desks, participating in meetings, and engaging in casual conversations with colleagues. This visibility creates an impression of productivity and dedication.
- Proximity bias in remote (and hybrid) work: The rise of remote and hybrid work has brought proximity bias into the spotlight. Since remote and hybrid employees often have less face time with colleagues and leaders, it can negatively impact their careers. Proximity bias can result in excluding remote workers in meetings, unequal information sharing, and reduced promotion opportunities.
- The role of company culture in proximity bias: A company culture can inadvertently promote proximity bias. For example, a company that strongly prefers employees to work from the company’s physical office locations may view remote work with skepticism or as an exception rather than a legitimate work arrangement. Additionally, if a company favors in-person meetings as the primary mode of decision-making, it could inadvertently exclude remote employees, or employees who attend in-person meetings may be given more opportunities to influence decisions and contribute to discussions.
How can HR address proximity bias in the workplace?
As HR professionals, you’ve been integral in helping your organizations navigate the changes post-pandemic. Although proximity bias may not be high on your list, it should be (for all the reasons we’ve discussed so far). Of course, HR can’t do it alone, but your role will be to raise awareness among leaders and employees and implement strategies that actively address proximity bias in all its shapes and sizes.
Here are some practical steps to tackle proximity bias in your organization.
1. Raise awareness through training and education
A critical first step is acknowledging the problem. Organize training sessions to raise awareness about proximity bias, feature real-life examples of remote employees who have faced obstacles, support leadership in recognizing the signs and provide them with strategies for facilitating an inclusive remote and hybrid work experience.
2. Promote diverse hiring and promotion practices
Examine existing hiring and promotion policies through the lens of proximity bias. What to do if you find unfair advantages based on work hours or on-site preferences? Consider blind recruitment, where candidates’ location, work flexibility preferences, etc., are hidden. Additionally, support leaders to spot any potential biases they might have.
3. Develop and implement fair and objective evaluation processes
Having clearly defined performance metrics can help management remain objective in employee assessments. Ensure there is a focus on actual work output. By establishing distinct evaluation criteria, promotion and salary increase decisions can be based more on merit than physical proximity or personal relationships.
4. Leverage technology for fairer working environments
Use the power of digital tools to help eliminate visibility bias in the workplace. HR can ensure virtual meetings are the norm, enabling remote employees to participate on equal footing with on-site colleagues. Review the effectiveness of collaboration platforms, communication tools, and video conferencing regularly. Ensure they facilitate seamless communication and enhance the visibility of remote workers’ contributions.
5. Encourage data-driven HR decision-making
Data is your friend. HR teams can leverage people analytics and metrics to ensure hiring and promotion decisions are based on concrete data. Not subjective judgments like distance bias. You can also use data to assess the impact and effectiveness of remote work arrangements. It can help track engagement, productivity, and performance levels – improving the quality of HR decisions for on-site and remote/hybrid employees.
6. Foster remote work best practices
By establishing guidelines and providing resources for effective virtual collaboration, HR can equip remote employees with the necessary access, tools, and support. This can include setting company-wide expectations for communication, collaboration, and check-ins to ensure there are consistent interactions with on-site and remote workers.
7. Nurture an inclusive culture
Do a culture inventory. How well does it transcend physical boundaries? Consider how HR can support leaders to embrace a remote-friendly culture. Encourage regular team-building activities, virtual social events, remote collaboration, and scheduled virtual check-ins to bridge the gap between on-site and remote employees.
Real-life company examples of proximity bias
The push for the return to the office is on the rise, mostly among senior leaders. Many have issued return-to-office mandates, which have put examples of proximity bias on full display.
Twitter/X
One of Elon Musk’s first actions as the new CEO of Twitter/X was to ban remote work. In an infamous early morning email, he gave employees one day to return to the office full-time. If absolutely necessary, remote work requests would have to be personally approved by him.
Musk says remote employees are less productive and only “pretend to work”. And in an interview with CNBC, he called work-from-home culture “morally wrong”. Musk followed the remote work ban with an equally uncompromising ultimatum. Asking employees to pledge to work “extremely hardcore”, committing to very long hours in the office.
The impact
After banning remote work, Twitter/X lost about 1,200 employees in a day. On top of earlier layoffs, this mass exodus left critical roles like data scientists, engineering, and cybersecurity vacant, leading to difficulties in maintaining Twitter/X’s existing and new features.
Amazon
Amazon is another tech company signaling a preference for the office. CEO Andy Jassy clearly illustrated his bias towards remote staff in his February 2023 return-to-office statement: “When you’re in-person, people tend to be more engaged, observant, and attuned to what’s happening in the meetings and the cultural cues being communicated.” In recent developments, Amazon has asked some corporate staff to relocate to other cities as part of its return-to-office policy.
Yet data shows remote and hybrid workers can enhance a company’s meeting culture positively, leading to more focused, spontaneous, and shorter meetings.
The impact
The push towards an office return led to mass walkouts at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters. In addition to workers’ frustration over the reversal to allow team leaders to determine how their teams worked, employees are also concerned about the climate impact due to the absence of flexible work options.
Apple
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, exhibited a similar proximity bias in the push for in-office attendance (three days a week) for all employees. He says the requirement is meant to restore “in-person collaboration that is so essential to our culture”. His statement reflects the belief that most leaders have about collaboration (as well as creativity and innovation), that it’s best done face-to-face and in one location, the office.
The impact
The employee advocacy group, Apple Together, fought back with a petition. It called for “location flexible work” to be arranged by individual employees and their managers. In an employee survey, 67% were unhappy with the return-to-office mandate, and 56% said they were looking to leave the company because of the policy. Another source of growing frustration is Apple’s tough stance and the tracking of attendance. Those who don’t comply may face disciplinary action.
Slack takes a different approach
The CEO of Slack, the messaging technology company, asked executives to lead by example and limit their office attendance to three times a week. It’s an attempt, he says, to ensure senior leaders don’t succumb to proximity bias.
This raises awareness that they can do ‘real work’ in and outside of the office. Plus, challenging leaders to reduce their office hours counters the belief that only one location is an absolute must.
The road toward reducing proximity bias in the workplace
When left unchecked, proximity bias can create a less inclusive work environment, which is crucial for attracting and keeping top talent. In many ways, reducing proximity bias requires a mindset shift. It’s about embracing a new model of work, one that is not dependent on physical location but meets employees’ diverse needs to do their best work.
HR professionals can follow these actionable strategies to level the playing field and ensure equal access to opportunities.
Here are three key takeaways to support you on your journey:
- Recognize and acknowledge the existence of proximity bias: By openly discussing the issue, HR teams can raise awareness and encourage open dialogue around the impact it has on remote and hybrid employees.
- Implement policies and practices that tackle proximity bias: This can include providing equal access to information, ensuring remote employees have opportunities to work on desirable projects, and offering fair and timely promotions to all employees – regardless of physical location.
- Fostering a strong sense of community: Actively work to bridge the gap between on-site and remote employees. Creating opportunities for social interactions and team-building activities during regular virtual meetings can help build rapport and alleviate proximity bias.
Although the nature of work is constantly changing, embracing work flexibility (while addressing proximity bias) is essential for any forward-thinking organization.
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