Office Presence Matters For Promotions: Fully Remote Workers Overlooked

Compared to their hybrid and in-office colleagues, fully remote workers often face a disadvantage when it comes to receiving a promotion, new research suggests. 

According to a report published by the Daily Mail, data reveals employers tend to favor those who are physically present in the office — perceiving them as more committed and better networked than their fully remote counterparts. The report cites data from Live Data Technologies’ analysis of two million white-collar workers, revealing 5.6% of hybrid workers received promotions last year, compared to just 3.9% of fully remote workers.  

It’s also revealed that the trend is more pronounced among men than women, and is particularly evident in management roles — where in-person interactions are often deemed important for collaboration efforts. 

Interestingly, further studies on the topic also suggest there’s no noticeable difference on professional career advancements between spending five days a week in the office, or three days.
Fortune recently published a report citing research by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The findings, co-authored by economist Nicholas Bloom, suggest no significant career disadvantages for hybrid workers compared to their fully in-office counterparts, when analyzing performance reviews or promotion rates. 

The viewpoint from employees is that the now common approach to the hybrid workweek, often three days in the office and two days at home, seems to provide enough visibility for career advancement. According to Fortune’s report, the hybrid model is not only efficient for companies in the post-pandemic era, but it’s also perceived as a valuable workplace perk by many employees — some equating hybrid work to a 6% raise in terms of work-life balance benefits. 

Hybrid work rose as the common approach to workplace flexibility in 2023. The adoption of these flexible office policies is seen by many experts as a compromise between employers and employees. The newfound flexibility for many professionals also brings benefits to the workplace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics published a report leading some economists to suggest the rise in greater flexibility for workers contributed to a rise in greater U.S. worker productivity last year. 

The mounting data suggests that this kind of flexible work environment offers a sustainable solution that balances the flexibility of remote work with the benefits of in-person collaboration. However, this new stable environment in the workplace also requires a careful reevaluation of how companies measure an individual’s performance and potential within an organization — ensuring fair and inclusive practices for all employees.