In the aftermath of two years of rapid adoption of hybrid and remote work, the results are clear: the future of work is flexible. Studies consistently show that employees want remote work options, and flexibility about when and where people work is quickly becoming table stakes for companies that want to hire top talent.
But in the rush to accommodate employee desires, some HR professionals and leaders express concerns about the long-term impact of hybrid and remote work on DE&I efforts. A recent article in SHRM looks at the tensions between the needs and wants of women and people of color, who largely wish to work remotely, and the ability of those same people to overcome potential disadvantages to career growth in a remote or hybrid work model.
It is possible to continue to advance DE&I efforts—and indeed, improve them to meet the needs of women and underrepresented groups—with some foresight, planning, and attention. Here are four ways to help keep DE&I top of mind in a remote and hybrid world.
1. Offset Proximity Bias
Proximity bias is the idea that those people most visible in the organization or closest to the decision makers are the ones who will be developed and promoted the most. Employees who work off-site at least part of the time may not be in front of executives and decision-makers as often. If most offsite workers are women and people of color, proximity bias could undermine DE&I efforts.
Offset the potential for proximity bias by leveling the field. Get creative about keeping people face to face, and make sure that remote workers at least have opportunities to be in front of decision-makers. If some people want to attend meetings virtually, ask everyone to attend virtually. Create opportunities for teams to be in the office together as often as possible, and include all virtual workers. When feasible or necessary, cover travel costs for more distant workers.
2. Examine the Whys
As noted in the SHRM report, some women and people of color may not want to return to the office partly because of marginalizing and offensive experiences. If the office is unpleasant because of insensitive comments, “tokenism,” or even overt bias, people may prefer to work from home just to avoid those tensions.
Ask employees why they prefer remote work and dig deep into the answers. Can you uncover cultural or behavioral markers in your office that prevent it from being a healthy workplace? If so, are there ways to confront and address those challenges?
3. Address Management Obstacles
According to the SHRM article, 70% of supervisors believe remote workers are more easily replaced than onsite workers. When managers are already overwhelmed and overworked, it’s understandable that they would default to preferring those employees who are right in front of them, which gets back to proximity bias.
Find out what support or tools managers need to ensure their remote workers feel included and supported. Do they need better collaboration or virtual tools? Are there ways to streamline or automate some job responsibilities so they can make more time to connect with remote workers?
4. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!
Communication is vital with remote and hybrid work! In fact, one survey found that employees in organizations without clear hybrid work guidelines are 60% more likely to quit than those with clear policies.
Ensure policies for flexible work models are spelled out and gather feedback frequently about how new models perform. Remember that these models are still relatively new, and growing pains are not unusual when everyone is working to adapt to new ways of working.
In addition to communicating about remote and hybrid work, continue to emphasize your commitment to DE&I initiatives and follow up on promises and deliverables.
Everyone will make some mistakes in this new future of work, and it’s possible that no group—employees, managers, executives—will get precisely the model or result they want. But with openness and transparency, your remote work models don’t have to damage your DE&I initiatives—and can bolster your progress toward a genuinely inclusive organization.
Self-Check:
- When was the last time you surveyed remote and hybrid workers to measure engagement and satisfaction?
- If you dig into your employee survey results, do you find disparities between various demographic categories? Does one group feel more or less engaged than other groups?
- What is the one thing you can do today to boost the signal of your remote workers?