Proximity bias – A cognitive troublemaker in modern workspaces

Remote and hybrid work models have become common and some workplaces are even encouraging these to offer flexibility to employees. But managers and leaders in such setups are falling prey to a cognitive bias called proximity bias.

It basically happens when managers favour those who work in the office due to their immediate availability over those who are remotely located. This accidental favouritism further leads to loss of opportunities, low morale and isolation for remote workers.

To prevent this bias from disrupting workspace harmony, it’s important to understand how it harms the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts of the organisation and the kind of strategies leaders can take to bridge the communication gap between in-office and remote workers.

Proximity bias: What is it and how it impacts employees

Giving more clarity around the term and its increasing prevalence, Subramanyam Sreenivasaiah, Founder & CEO AscentHR, says proximity bias refers to the tendency of people to preferentially value and trust those who are physically closer to them. It’s more prevalent in hybrid and remote work setups because physical distance reduces face-to-face interactions and informal conversations that often influence perceptions and decisions.

Elaborating further, he says, industries such as technology, finance and creative fields — where collaboration and brainstorming are critical — may experience higher levels of proximity bias. Similarly, roles that require frequent interaction with leadership or decision-makers — such as project management, client-facing positions and sales roles — might also be more prone to this bias.

In his opinion, proximity bias can have significant negative impacts on employee morale and career advancement. To begin with, remote and hybrid team members may feel excluded or undervalued, leading to decreased job satisfaction and engagement. In terms of career advancement, those who are physically distant from decision-makers may miss out on opportunities. Most importantly, the expert highlights that it can undermine DEI efforts by perpetuating inequalities based on physical proximity rather than merit or capability, leading to a less diverse and inclusive workplace where certain groups face systemic barriers to advancement.

Early signs of proximity bias

In Subramanyam’s experience, early signs of proximity bias include disproportionately favouring local team members in assignments, decision-making and informal discussions. To combat this cognitive bias, he advises leaders to establish clear evaluation criteria to make decisions on objective performance metrics rather than subjective impressions or visibility.

In addition, actively including remote team members in discussions and decision-making processes through virtual meets; implementing equitable policy and ensuring policies related to career development; offering promotions and ensuring members across all the teams receive recognition and praise are some of the steps, according to him, that can be highly beneficial in preventing this bias from seeping into the workplace.

Rachna Taranath, Interim Head of Human Resources, MassMutual India, says that to simply put, proximity bias means “out of sight, out of mind”.

On how MassMutual is successfully mitigating this situation, she says it’s first important to maintain transparency between the leadership and the teams. At the same time, during the calls, it’s necessary to ensure participants are engaged. Employees should be encouraged to keep their cams on for better collaboration. Along with this, events should be conducted at a time where there is maximum participation, taking into consideration how employees work in different shifts.

“A workplace thrives for its diverse workforce with their diverse preferences and ideas. But they feel included when their choices are respected and voices are heard. It builds a strong relationship with employees, actively soliciting, and considering their feedback, and offering timely support. This helps beat the fear of exclusion or alienation,” she adds.