In terms of innovation and collaboration, it’s well known that proximity plays a big role in whether we create or innovate with others. It’s a concept described by the Allen Curve, and has been shown to exist even in a world that is far more comfortable with remote working than in the past.
For instance, research from Harvard found that startups occupying a coworking space were far more likely to collaborate with their peers than with other startups. A second study, also from Harvard, found that when people interacted with people with differing viewpoints, whether in the dining hall, the classroom, or elsewhere on campus, their scientific research improved significantly.
A hybrid world
What does this mean in a working world that is increasingly hybrid? Research from INSEAD explored whether “social proximity” can be as powerful as “physical proximity”.
The study suggests that the value of physical proximity is unquestionable, but that social proximity can nonetheless help us if we’re not able to be physically close to our peers.
The researchers found that when we’re physically close to one another, it’s less important that we have strong social ties. So, when we’re operating in a more remote or hybrid environment, the strength of our social ties is crucial if we want teams to function well.
Moving around
The researchers used a pharmaceutical company to conduct their experiment, with the company relocating their regional offices in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur respectively. The relocation involved moving from a layout whereby each employee had a fixed spot to an open-plan design where hot desking became the norm.
Each of the employees was asked to highlight the people they knew among their colleagues as well as the nature of their relationship with them. The researchers also collated the position of their desks before the move and again after the relocation. The idea was to test whether the change in the physical location and subsequent distance between people impacted their collaboration.
The results highlight that there was a clear correlation between our physical proximity and the strength of our social connections when it comes to the effectiveness of collaboration.
Why proximity matters
The importance of being close to coworkers is often overlooked. Studies show that working nearby makes it easier to reach out and talk to each other, which is crucial for solving problems at work.
Just being around others also builds a sense of closeness and trust. It gives people more chances to get to know one another, which helps them work together more effectively.
This was evident in the INSEAD study, which found that physical proximity was linked to more frequent communication and collaboration. What makes their work interesting, however, is that this boost to collaboration isn’t just a case of talking more often.
After all, they highlight that virtual tools also allow us to communicate frequently. Instead, key factors that underpin collaboration include trust, familiarity, and relational energy, which are all affected by physical proximity.
Social ties
It’s also increasingly well understood that our social ties are hugely important at work. For instance, research has shown that we’re more motivated and more likely to remain at an organization when we have strong social ties.
The positive impact of strong ties, which are defined by frequent interactions between people who feel close to each other, is even greater among those who share many mutual contacts, a concept known as “dyadic closure” in social network studies. These common contacts create a safe space for building trust, which is crucial for effective collaboration. Thus, having mutual contacts enhances how well people work together.
Surprisingly, the researchers found that common contacts were just as effective in fostering trust, reciprocation, and cooperation for physically distant individuals as for physically close ones. The findings show that physical proximity and social proximity can substitute for each other, meaning people can collaborate effectively even when not physically near each other, as long as they have strong social ties and dyadic closure.
Connecting in a hybrid world
The study provides a timely reminder that not only is physical proximity still hugely important in the workplace, but social networks should also be a key consideration when it comes to designing the workplace.
So how can organizations and managers work to increase the connectivity of workers in a hybrid world? In the physical space, it’s important to consider how people might interact, formally in meeting spaces and informally in refreshment areas or break rooms.
When dealing with a hybrid workforce, the researchers suggest that more intentionality might be required to help remote workers build social bonds. Mentoring programs can be great for newcomers, for instance, while virtual water cooler chats can also be effective.
Suffice it to say, a return to the physical workspace is no panacea in terms of building such connections, and connectivity shouldn’t be taken for granted, but when done well it can certainly be potent. Similarly, the study reminds us that hybrid working doesn’t have to be the death knell of collaboration, but avoiding this fate requires a multifaceted approach that effectively leverages technology so that both physical and social connections are forged.
