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6 strategies to curb the leaning towards proximity and expand the number of employees you have.

Jul 14, 2022

Unfortunately, one of the outcomes from managing different working styles is the phenomenon of proximity bias. This happens when leadership teams begin to subconsciously favour office workers in favor remote employees.

In this article we'll learn from the group that is responsible for the people operation to better understand what is proximity bias and the ways you can recognize and address inequities as well as methods to establish an inclusive work environment by using videos.

In this article

What is the definition of proximity bias?

Proximity bias is the unconscious tendencies to favor or value, in-office employees over those working remotely.

In the increasing number of offices that implement returning to office strategies, this bias of proximity could manifest itself in subtle but obvious ways. It could be in the form of of those who rate onsite employees over remote colleagues and requiring them to take on specific duties and lead initiatives, or holding sessions that concentrate on those who live in the same building as those who are online.

In addition, an unbalanced team, and one which is not addressed, could increase the disparities that exist in different groups of workers.

One challenge is that proximity bias is a habit that develops without conscious awareness. Research suggests that being observed in the workplace could give perceptions that workers are more dedicated and dependable. This perception can lend itself readily to office workers that enjoy advantages over remote workers. However, research suggests people who are knowledgeable and others have higher productivity after a shift to remote working.

"If the remote members of your team are not considered to be part of the same team the experience they have with them could be more difficult and remote team members could be feeling as though they're excluded," says Alissa Conway as the company's Vice President of Experience and Engagement. "If we do not think about different working styles and the best practices for them, lower team members' satisfaction could result in the disengagement of employees."

Many companies have opted to leave their physical offices in order to establish fully remote teams. However, it's not always an alternative. Certain jobs are best suitable for office work, and vice versa. In addition, some people prefer to be social.prefer to socialize and enjoy the life that comes with working in an office. Additionally, in relation to businesses that must balance time zones, it is possible that proximity bias could rear its ugly head even at remote work places when supervisors organize special offers and promotions in addition to events or meetings that accommodate local time zones.

In the face of potential inequity working

Despite the initial challenges that companies faced when they transitioned to a completely remote approach in the aftermath of the pandemic and subsequent outbreak, working from the comfort of your home has proven to be beneficial. A lot of people, like those with different abilities or abilities, aren't effectively in an office environment. remote work has eliminated a range of limitations on lifestyle that prevented those who worked remotely from achieving the highest productivity.

"I'm contemplating anyone who could be on the spectrum of autism as well as similar to my situation -- that of a single mother of three girls. If you're not one of the moms who has children, however, you may have an issue which could lead to living a life on your own terms or you may be able to prefer by one-on-one." is the opinion of Candace Williams, Director of DEI (Equity and DEI) at . "There are so many things that are visible or that aren't. Many people don't want to discuss their thoughts because they don't feel comfortable for any reason, due to experiences that they've had throughout their life."

If that's the case then a complete return to an office-based structure makes it challenging for employees who are afraid of being seen as different by their bosses.

It's the reason Williams strongly encourages inclusivity and practices which welcome all teammates regardless of where they live.

Intersections that can play into a person's desire and ability for returning to the workplace could be familial or a variety of learning capabilities, or unique experience in workplaces that are difficult to explain.

"When I see bias, I smother the bias with layers," Williams says. Williams.

Managers believe that in-office workers work harder and are less productive, then it could be challenging even for workers who work remotely to progress on their path to upward mobility in their careers. Uneven combination of working styles could lead to remote workers being marginalized and omitted in relation to crucial issues like prominent projects as well as professional development opportunities.

There are many one-to one changes that are suitable for solving the remote and onsite inequality. For instance, if an organization seeks to make it more simple for employees returning to work with onsite child care as well It is advised to think about a provision for childcare to remote employees.

Six suggestions for reducing working with a bias towards proximity

Here are just a few tips of Candace Williams and Alissa Conway to incorporate into their processes for team members to be more effective, no matter if they're at work or at home to achieve the highest level of performance.

1. Create social networks that allow people to feel safe

While some employees may choose to continue working from at home in their comfort zone however, there are many opportunities to engage them socially and not force them out of their comfort areas. One way to do it is by creating channels on Slack that allow users to communicate with one another via hobbies as well as intersectionalities.

For example, has channels which cater to cooking clubs as well as different groupings that cater to employees, those with hearing impairments as well as other. In encouraging employees to be connected with team members who look like them or look like them, it creates more involvement.

2. Employees are asked to survey their coworkers about how they could do to improve the quality of their work

"When there's a need for the notion of diversity and hybrids, many companies rely on writing the prescriptions for what they think the public want in their diversity and instead, they look into what the public wants," says Williams.

But, they are able to more effectively focus on improvement by assessing the team members in order to figure out what makes employees perform the best job they can. This is as straightforward as changing the lighting at the work environment, or as universally beneficial as incorporating a small stipend to childcare within their offer packages. Maybe it's as simple as creating an expectation that cameras be off when conference calls are being held, as well as allowing meeting that feature pets or children in the background.

3. Accept asynchronous communications

Making a note of your notes as well as videos and other materials that people are able to refer to can be beneficial for everyone. It isn't just the case for remote workers, but also in-office employees who benefit by repetition, those who work in various time zones, those returning from time off or employees who are observing other teams that must catch on the latest developments quickly.

4. Make sure that the leadership also has remote working days.

Because leadership is the most important factor of the degree of proximity bias that is present within teams, teams don't simply have to recognize that they are affected, but also have be proactive and take action to ensure that the field is level.

Encouragement of managers to work remotely is a straightforward, efficient way to make sure that remote workers are seen as valued and treated with respect. Having designated remote days or even a virtual personal calendar in the management office ensures that workflow and communications are streamlined to get out of the physical isolation of the office to be back on the internet.

"It is crucial for businesses to comprehend the advantages and disadvantages of every mode to make sure that they have an equal share of equity," says Alissa Conway.

5. Be focused on the outcomes, not optics

To reverse the subconscious prejudices that lead towards proximity bias both leadership and management should focus on results and goals, rather than measuring performance by the number of hours spent on chairs.

"When organizations shift their focus to results," says Williams, "they'll be more convinced to offer options to their employees to help improve their outcomes. As an example rather than assuming that everybody must be present at a gathering, concentrate on what the outcome of this meeting is and offer options to help make the desired outcome a reality."

6. Check out your personal

"Manager effectiveness has always been the primary factor in team member's involvement, and is even more important in remote environments," says Conway. "It gets even more critical in remote settings as everyone is required to concentrate more on communicating with each in order to have reliable and efficient flow of communication."

The current working environment it is possible to offer virtual employee opportunities for participation.

Conway suggests that leaders and managers take the time to communicate with remote workers. It can be as simple as ensuring that each member of the team receives regular invitations to 1:1 meetings, allowing the room where remote workers can talk about their concerns, and then calling certain employees to get to know each other on a personal basis.

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