How to best manage proximity bias
It’s a COVID thing. Lockdowns are good for virus control but bad for social connection. As they lift, we seek the company of those within our circle of influence.
This is pretty clear in Microsoft’s annual Work Trends Index, which surveyed more than 31,000 employees across the world and based findings on 112 billion email interactions and 2.3 billion Microsoft Teams interactions. The index shows our “distant” networks, those outside of our immediate team, shrunk because of the pandemic. It also shows 65 per cent of us now crave more in-person contact. And then there’s the increasing risk of proximity bias.
Proximity bias is the tendency to give preferential treatment to those in our immediate vicinity. Take the following example. To whom would you be more likely to loan $100: your next-door neighbour or the neighbour down the street, assuming they have an equal need for the money?
Like most biases, proximity bias usually happens unconsciously. Imagine a workplace scenario where a simple issue, such as not being able to open a file, arises. Who are you most likely to ask for help: a colleague working at the desk opposite yours or a colleague working from home? The quicker of the two options, right? Over time, repeated interactions like this build a bond with those closer to us quicker than with those farther from us.
In-person contact can change the nature of the relationship with superiors. They might start inadvertently favouring those they’ve developed a connection with by virtue of proximity. Longer-term favouritism can break down trust and, unsurprisingly, create feelings of unfairness. In the workplace, employee morale, productivity, commitment, absenteeism and turnover are all impacted.
So, how do we protect ourselves from proximity bias? Education is a good place to start. Raising awareness of unconscious bias, reviewing team connection, and making a plan to connect with all employees are worth considering, too, if you’re in the workplace. Asking others what kind of conversations you have can reveal if you might be giving preferential treatment to some. It may be as simple as realising this is taking place and being mindful of the need to keep an eye on it.
Remembering to offer those farther from you opportunities to contribute or add more value could help. Intentional touch points are incredibly valuable in virtual environments.
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LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash.