Proximity Bias In The Remote Workplace: How Does It Affect Employees?
As more companies embrace a hybrid work model where some employees work in the office and others remotely, the latter seem to be facing a new challenge: proximity bias. This phenomenon refers to the tendency of leaders and managers to overlook remote employees in favor of those in closer proximity or, in other words, on-site employees. This can sometimes happen unintentionally, but it can also stem from a false assumption that remote employees are less hard-working and productive. This article explores 5 ways in which proximity bias negatively affects remote employees, as well as what leaders can do to mitigate it.
What Are The Causes Of Proximity Bias?
Since we have defined what proximity bias is, let’s look at why it occurs.