Flexible work is becoming the norm, with a significant shift towards hybrid work arrangements. However, this shift has brought concerns about proximity bias, which may create inequalities between on-site and remote workers. This article explores proximity bias and offers strategies to mitigate its impact on your career.
Understanding Proximity Bias
Proximity bias is the tendency to favor employees who are physically present in the office over those who work remotely. This unconscious bias can affect performance evaluations, potentially disadvantaging women, ethnic minorities, and working parents who may spend less time in the office. Statistics show that 84% of men work in the office all or some of the time, compared to 79% of women. Additionally, three-quarters of working parents work remotely or in a hybrid setup, compared to 63% of non-parents.
Despite the potential negative effects on underrepresented workers, many executives still prefer the office. A survey by Future Forum found that 42% of executives work from the office three or more days a week, compared to just 30% of non-executives. This preference poses a challenge for companies aiming to retain talent and lead inclusively in a hybrid environment.
Strategies to Combat Proximity Bias
To ensure proximity bias does not harm your career, consider the following actions:
- Increase your visibility by joining meetings early and being active on work channels like Slack, Yammer, or Workplace.
- Have regular video conferences with your team and boss, including virtual lunches or happy hours.
- Become your company’s brand ambassador on social media and endorse corporate values.
- Value and encourage high-quality internal communications and listening campaigns, sharing constructive feedback.
- Endorse, praise, and celebrate your co-workers and their achievements.
- Schedule visits to the office to connect with your team, enhancing wellbeing and engagement levels.
VMA GROUP’s Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
VMA GROUP is committed to equal opportunities and is a Diversity Pledged Recruiter. We strive to encourage equality, diversity, and inclusion while eliminating unlawful discrimination within our workforce and recruitment services. Our goal is to represent all sections of society and ensure every employee, candidate, and client feels respected and supported.
Our consultants inspire and enable VMA GROUP to attract and represent candidates from diverse backgrounds. We believe true diversity in recruitment starts from within, and we aim for our workforce and services to reflect this commitment.
About VMA GROUP
VMA GROUP is a leading international recruitment and executive search specialist, focusing on communications, digital, and marketing communities. We provide expert consultancy services and advice, supported by in-depth knowledge of the professions we recruit for. Our thought leadership and benchmarking studies are valuable resources for the communications and marketing industry.
In the UK, VMA GROUP has offices in London and Manchester, and in Europe, we have offices in Amsterdam and Brussels. We work with organizations and individuals globally, committed to equal opportunities and diversity.
