I surveyed college students about proximity bias—here’s what they are most worried about
When early-career professionals participate in hybrid- or remote-work arrangements, they could unknowingly be taking a professional risk. Specifically, there is a chance they will work for a manager who has proximity bias. Proximity bias is a manager’s preference for on-site employees. The origins stem from a norm once predominant in many offices—face time. It’s the false notion that people who work more often in the office are more productive and committed. And it affects managers because they often form judgments against employees who are less physically present.
Some of the potential consequences of working for a manager with proximity bias include being left out of decisions, overlooked for raises or promotion opportunities, having less visibility and fewer opportunities to work on desirable projects, and being less likely to be invited to social events. Additionally, upwards of 96% of managers notice and pay attention to employees’ contributions made in the office. And the shift toward hybrid workplaces has resulted in 85% of managers doubting that their employees are being productive.
Even worse: Most early-career professionals are unfamiliar with proximity bias and its seemingly harmful outcomes. I’m a professor at Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, and when I surveyed 150 students about proximity bias, only 45% were familiar with the term before hearing about it in class.
Yet, once these students understood its potential impact on their careers, most of those 45% felt strongly averse to the idea of proximity bias. Specifically, 74% of male respondents and 82% of female respondents said learning that a manager had proximity bias would make them less likely to accept a job offer.
What are the major concerns early-career professionals have about working for a manager with proximity bias?
Among female respondents, the top five concerns of working for a manager with proximity bias included:
Notably, 63% of all female respondents were concerned about being less likely to be selected for a leadership role. This finding is aligned with prior studies that have demonstrated that more than two-thirds of women want to advance to senior leadership roles. The results also speak to a recurring theme of women feeling ignored and overlooked in the workplace.
In comparison, among male respondents, the top five concerns of working for a manager with proximity bias included:
Prior research demonstrates that when men socialize with other men at work, they are promoted at a faster rate than women. Therefore, male respondents may perceive having less information in the workplace could result in them missing out on learning about opportunities that could help propel their careers.
What can organizations do to address these concerns?
Monitor the experiences of remote and hybrid workers. Although this technique seems simple, organizations must stay aware of the experiences of early-career professionals who work in hybrid and remote arrangements. Early-career employees are more susceptible to stress and anxiety in the workplace. Therefore, while they desire to work outside the office, on average, two to three days per week, they are also concerned about the potential fallout. Employers who collect employee-experience data annually can detect if early-career professionals perceive any inequities in the workplace, such as fewer leadership opportunities and less feedback from their managers.
Track the metrics of hybrid and on-site employees. A company’s hybrid-work policies shouldn’t work against its DEI initiatives. Therefore, organizations may want to track metrics such as retention, promotion rates, bonus allocations, and development opportunities (e.g., assignment to stretch projects). This can help ensure that growth is evenly distributed across employees who are working remote and hybrid schedules compared to employees working on-site. The data should be shared with employees to ensure transparency.
Create opportunities for 1:1 meetings. While early-career employees are expected to meet with their managers, they should also be encouraged to meet with other stakeholders. For example, my research found that if early-career professionals experience working for a manager with proximity bias, the three most likely places they will turn to for advice and support include their human resources department (30%), their mentor (16%), and their family (15%).
Therefore, organizations should create norms where early-career professionals are encouraged to touch base with leaders who are not their managers, such as HR representatives. While the 1:1 meetings may happen less frequently, they can still give early-career professionals a safe space in which to discuss concerns and ask questions. What’s more, HR professionals can also coach managers to recognize the bias.
Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Lastly, most organizations have employee/business resource groups where employees who share common experiences and interests can meet. If the company has an ERG for early-career professionals, leaders should attend their meetings and listen to any concerns employees express about the workplace and their managers.
Additionally, some ERGs collect employee pulse data from their employees. One question that would be helpful to include in a survey is, If you are working off-site at least one day per week, do you perceive you have less access to your manager, teammates, or resources?
Asking these kinds of questions, and working to eliminate proximity bias, can help organizations invest in their future workforce.
Kyra Sutton is a faculty member at Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Her research interests include the development and retention of early-career employees.
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