Do We Need to be in the Office to Collaborate Effectively? – Research Said Not Necessarily
Physical proximity has been the core of strong team building and employee collaboration since time immemorial. However, new research from INSEAD suggested otherwise. With strong social proximity, employees can collaborate as effectively even when they do not share physical proximity.
In this Pacific Prime UK article, we explore this changing office dynamics, how social connections can offset physical distance for effective employee collaboration, and what employers can do to strengthen the virtual bond between employees.
Social Proximity vs Physical Proximity
Social proximity generally refers to the emotional closeness we feel with another person, how close we are as friends, family, or coworkers. Meanwhile, physical proximity is the physical distance between you and another person, whether they are sitting with you or on the other side of the globe.
These two are important factors in forging work relationships and effective collaboration between employees.
Since the dawn of time, we believe that physical proximity helps us work together better because ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ don’t we? However, this is true.
By being physically close together, we increase the chance of reaching out to one another and interacting. This, in turn, can lead to an increased chance of getting to know one another better and improving communication quality when it comes to problem solving.
The study by INSEAD found that being physically close to one another led employees to communicate more frequently at work. Employee collaboration also benefits from positive feelings that come with physical closeness such as familiarity, trust and relational energy.
Therefore, there is a good reason for us to come to the office to work together.
However, in the same study, Manuel Sosa and Massimo Maoret shed light on the power of the other factor – social proximity and how it can offset physical closeness when done right.
Out of Sight but Not Necessarily Out of Mind
In this study, Sosa and Maoret looked into the relocation of a pharmaceutical company’s offices and saw how the change in physical location and social connections affect the effectiveness of employees’ collaboration.
The research revealed how people who have strong social ties or social proximity are more motivated to work together, and more willing to put in more time and effort to make their communication and interaction a quality one.
This effect is even stronger when there are numerous mutual contacts among one another. Mutual contacts give employees safe spaces to build trust, which is an essential element for effective employee collaboration.
What is more interesting is that this effect of mutual contacts also works for employees who are not in the same physical space with their peers as well.
Sosa and Maoret’s research found that mutual contacts can strengthen ties and cooperation even if people are not in the same location physically, which means there are ways for employers to substitute physical proximity and enhance teamwork even when employees are not in the same place.
As long as employees feel connected and close to one another, they can collaborate effectively even when they are not together.
This finding is exceptionally important, not just for transnational companies with offices across the globe, but also for employers that are looking for the right balance between work-from-home benefits and onsite presence.
In ‘The Role of the Office is Still TBC‘ session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, the statistics show that demands for remote and hybrid roles are still going strong, at around 46% of job applications.
And with new grads seeking more human connection in their first job, the predictions expect hybrid roles to come out on top of completely remote roles, highlighting the urgency for employers to find the right balance that will make their hybrid positions work.
So, how can employers build the virtual bridge and keep employees’ social proximity strong even if they are not in the same office?
Keep Employees in Contact Despite Distance
Building connections over virtual spaces will require employers to be creative in their approaches. However, with the availability of various virtual platforms, it is possible for employers to create virtual spaces for teams to interact and bond over distance.
Building a Virtual Water Cooler 
Informal interaction areas like break rooms, pantries, or a water cooler are valuable opportunities for employers to encourage informal interaction and social bonds between employees.
Virtual work platforms like Slack, Gather Town, or Mural offer a variety of tools and options for employers to replicate these informal areas into online spaces and encourage casual interaction between employees.
Mentorship Program for Newcomers
Starting a new job is unnerving, especially for new grads, and it is easy to feel stranded when all your coworkers are on the other side of the screen.
A virtual mentorship program can help newcomers in finding their bearing in the new position and a sense of connectedness with their colleagues, even when they are not there in person.
Virtual Team-Building Activities
Finally, with physical distance between each employee, employers must be intentional in their approach to encourage employee interaction and team building. Virtual team-building activities, like their physical ones, provide great opportunities for employees to come together as a team.
Activities such as virtual coffee breaks or virtual happy hours can encourage employees to bond not just between individuals, but between teams and offices as well.
Conclusion
For a long time, we prioritize physical proximity as a conduit for teamwork and collaboration. However, recent research shows that strong closeness and bonds between employees can offset physical distance and encourage effective collaboration as well.
With rising demand for hybrid positions, it has become all the more important for employers to find the right balance that keeps teams driven and collaborative over virtual spaces.
Pacific Prime UK offers bespoke employee benefits plans that can meet your company’s unique coverage needs as well as keep you competitive in talent acquisition, even in this era of remote and hybrid positions.
Our advisors will accompany you in all processes, from designing your company’s package to policy broking and continuous plan management, so you can rest assured that your company, as well as your employees, get the right benefits that they need.
Contact us today for a free and impartial employee benefits review for your company.
Coming to Pacific Prime, she is ready to utilize her experience for the new pursuit. With a strong passion for storytelling and writing, she hopes her words could help bring people closer to the best international health insurance plan that works for them. After all, as a writer, there is no greater honor than when one’s words can add clarity to the world of the readers.
Apart from writing, she is an avid planespotter. On the weekends, you can expect to find her loitering around the airport, gawking at all the aircrafts taking off and landing. When the weather does not permit planespotting, you can find her huddling on her cozy couch, watching ballet and figure skating as well.
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