Many companies continue to offer remote working for their teams. However, there’s been a shift to return to work, at least part of the workweek, adopting more of a hybrid model. With the new blended workplace environment comes new ethics challenges, including discrimination. Make sure your employees have equal access to all the opportunities and support from wherever they work, with the right ethics policy. And learn how an ethics hotline can help.

Create a hybrid model suitable for your company and staff

Consider surveying your staff and employees to learn more about their support needs and company culture preferences. You can then use their feedback to guide how you frame your hybrid working model. This might include flexibility on which days of the week your teams come into the office. Or, it might include provisions for those who require additional accommodation. Also, consider what tools and access your workers might need support within their home office environments. These measures ensure that everyone, working at home or on-site, has everything they need to be successful in their roles.

Examples of discrimination in a hybrid work environment

Prepare your teams to learn how discrimination might look different in a hybrid work environment. As part of your ethics policy, be sure to include definitions, how to identify instances of discrimination, and steps to come forward if discrimination is believed to occur. Here are just a few common examples.

Proximity bias

Managers who report on-site or in the office might unintentionally start favoring staff members they “see” more often. This proximity bias might include promotions, projects, assignments, or team recognition. However, those working remotely deserve equal participation and consideration. And your management team will need guidance to maintain an even playing field for all hybrid or remote teams, as well as those who report to work.

Communication gaps

Some of the most common feedback from those working remotely involves feeling “disconnected” from the in-person teams. This is often in-part due to gaps in communication. Quick meetings or impromptu work discussions that happen in the office can unintentionally leave out those who are working from home. Consider laying in additional communication channels and policies that support inclusion for those working offsite.

Bias in performance evaluation

Those reporting to work physically more often than those who work from home may garner favoritism in the form of more positive performance evaluations. Simply because the achievements are “visible” doesn’t mean those contributing remotely aren’t meeting their goals. Consider establishing transparent paths for success and performance for everyone to follow, so everyone has an opportunity to perform their best.

Disparities in tech or resources

Not all of your remote or hybrid work teams will have access to high-speed internet, dedicated home offices to work, or necessary tools to do their jobs effectively. This disparity could create a perceived discrimination between those who report physically to work and those who work remotely.

Create a conducive hybrid work environment with an ethics hotline

Be mindful of the potential discrimination pitfalls above and look for ways to improve your ethics policies to better support a fair workplace for everyone, regardless of where they work. And an ethics hotline can be the resource to support your fair and equitable workplace.

Let Ethical Advocate help your company create an ethical hybrid workplace with an ethics hotline. Contact us to learn more and take the steps you need to prevent discrimination.