Presenteeism in the Age of Hybrid Working

Organisations everywhere have gone from remote working full time in unprecedented circumstances, to hybrid working in more stable ones and now in-office full-time policies are once again on the rise.  However, the reality is that employee desires for flexibility are not reverting and so it will be old biases holding both people and business back. 

Humans have a natural tendency to favour people they are physically close to regularly. This cognitive bias - called proximity bias - is an evolutionary instinct designed to ensure our survival by extending our self-interest to those close to us. We are herd animals. If we protect our herd, we improve our own chances of survival.

It is no different in the 21st Century. A  Slack survey of more than 10,000 knowledge workers and their leaders shows that the top concern for executives about hybrid and remote work is proximity bias and the inequality it creates between in-office and remote workers.

This blog explores how do we, as individuals and businesses, evolve beyond our hard-wiring? How does this new age of remote and hybrid working impact employee relationships and how do we overcome those challenges?

The state of hybrid working today

The pandemic gave us a chance to ditch presenteeism, but now in a world of 24/7 connectivity, it arguably simply takes on a digital guise. Despite the time away from the direct gaze of our bosses, many of us would say we’re sure we’ve worked more since 2020. It’s the race for who can send the first morning email, or who can be seen going above and beyond at 10pm or during the weekend.

Now, there is data to back that up; analysis of productivity patterns in Microsoft 365 has shown a steady uptick in average workday span (+13%), after-hours and weekend work (+28%, +14%, respectively), time in meetings (+252%), and chats sent (+32%). The pressure is high to prove that remote work is real work, that you’re just as dedicated as your in-office peers.

Despite this, old perceptions and philosophies die hard. A survey of more than 800 supervisors (SHRM) reported that 67% of them admitted to seeing remote workers as more replaceable than onsite workers. And yet, new 2023 analysis reveals that companies with remote or hybrid policies appear to be hiring people at about twice the rate of employers that are fully in office. The reason for this can be explained by the recent finding that 83% knowledge workers "are willing to earn less if it means loving work more".

With little to substantiate the notion that having your employees in view does in and of itself anything to increase productivity or loyalty, presenteeism is one of today's most pressing obstacles to overcome.

Subconscious exclusionary practices are keeping proximity bias afloat

Bias is a heavy word. But in the words of Inclusion and Bias Thought Leader and author Pamela Fuller, “bias, on its face, is not inherently good or bad. In the simplest of terms, our biases are our preferences”. If we conflate bias with something only bad people have, then we won’t ever see and interrogate our own, and grow. 

Because of a human preference to those we are often around, one of the biggest risks of hybrid working is creating a rift between the “favoured” and the “peripheral”; those who are seen as strongly committed and central to the social hubbub, and those who feel optional, out of the loop. People can be quite literally out of sight, out of mind.

In the office, there are more opportunities for spontaneous communication. From chance meetings in the kitchen to popping over to someone’s desk to run something by them, such casual encounters increase your chances of being formally selected for a project or advancement over someone who lacks them. One report  showed that  60% of remote workers say they miss out on information sharing that they otherwise wouldn’t if they were in the office, whilst 55% of remote workers say they are excluded from meetings then “filled in” later. All of this adds up to being disconnected and limited. 

Bias begets bias

It’s often said that presenteeism is a luxury born from privilege. It’s pegged as a reason behind a lack of gender diversity in leadership roles, and as a reason behind the gender pay gap. Women still make up the majority of parents with primary caregiving responsibilities who cannot simply come in early, leave late or drop everything. In many cases the pandemic exacerbated the strain already felt by working families.

The pandemic also complicated generational differences, with post-pandemic values and working expectations varying between age groups- the desire for flexibility and what defines a work-life balance included. A recent report published by global recruitment firm Robert Walters revealed that 55% of Millennials polled are those pushing hardest for remote working. Over one third (37%) of other age groups feel this generation plays the “family or long-commute card” too often.

Such divisions and diversity of opinion are exacerbated by the fact that working from home is typically framed as a “you can have”, not “you will have”, like the office frequently is. That leaves a choice for people to make, and therefore an opportunity for judgement to be made.

Who is taking up the offer to work from home? Who takes it up most? Who chooses to come into the office regardless? Employees will eventually, if not already, find this mentally exhausting. Some may start to come into the office more for the sake of it, productivity giving way to something more perfunctory. Those who are unable to prioritise physically being in the office more, risk becoming isolated and unmotivated.

It is complex a challenge leaders face, but it has never been more important to create an inclusive culture that leaves ungenerous assumptions, whatever the policy you choose, at the door. 

How to overcome proximity bias 

Some businesses have gone so far as adopting a hybrid-only policy. This entails banning all employees from being based full-time in the office. By barring anyone from being in the office five days a week, they presumably eliminate any favouritism based on proximity.

However, this comes with its own range of issues as it doesn’t consider the wealth of reasons working from home is less conducive to productivity and wellbeing for some, than it is for others. Not everyone has privacy, strong Wi-Fi, or a desk with a view.

A less drastic step would be to simply speak its name. Call it out. Speak about what proximity bias means, ensure people are aware of it, encourage the conscious effort to think about the impact of it and include remote workers in every aspect of the business. 

Listen

Ask for feedback and invite suggestions from all employees, remote, hybrid or office-based. Consider starting employee-led committees- we have recently done this ourselves with the creation of an Employee Experience Group- to bring all age groups, backgrounds and seniorities together to focus on equity, inclusion, and anything else that impacts the everyday happiness of employees. Use this data to identify areas where resentment is building- or celebration is needed. Prepare to be surprised by the results. 

Measure contributions the right way

Calendar scrutinising is the curtain twitching of the hybrid world. Don’t let it happen. It has become easier than ever to slip into the habit of back-to-back meetings that fill the day but don’t move anything forward. It is the digital equivalent of being present and correct at your desk. To stop over-focusing on either scenario, start focusing instead on tracking outcomes. Be clear about what you expect to be accomplished that week, and how that connects to what you expect to deliver that month, and so on.

This is empowering direct reports to connect to the activities that matter most, commit to something they can feel a sense of accomplishment in, and own getting it done in a way that suits them. It must be about deliverables, not the optics of dedication.

Model the behaviour you want to see

Your behaviour sends a message. To start confronting your own bias first, here are just a few of the questions you might find helpful to really reflect on…

Is your definition of who is a stronger team member tied to who you see more? Do you give out recognition equally? Are you purposeful about sending a message if you can’t provide a quick “great job by the way” in person? Do you overlook overwork in your direct reports because you’re in the same boat? Do you still see working long hours as something to be rewarded rather than questioned? Are you in the office full time because you  feel traditional visibility is expected of you as a leader?