{"id":2346,"date":"2025-01-21T20:11:53","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T20:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.dh-design.co.uk\/centrum-spring-2025\/?page_id=2346"},"modified":"2025-03-28T10:57:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T10:57:35","slug":"careers-article-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/digital.dh-design.co.uk\/centrum-spring-2025\/careers-article-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Careers Article 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Remote work \u2013 a reality check<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We are delighted to welcome new, regular contributor Ruth Napier, a successful business development and marketing leader with 25 years\u2019 experience in financial and legal services, including 15 in UK-based law firms. Ruth starts by cautioning that the prized benefit of remote working may come with a hidden career cost.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Ruth Napier,<\/strong>
Director,<\/em>
R Napier Consulting<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ruth@rnapierconsulting.co.uk<\/span><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The freedom to work from home has become a prized benefit, but it comes with a hidden career cost few discuss openly. While 61% of employees report being more productive at home, research shows their career trajectories may be suffering. A 2023 Unispace study revealed 84% of employers believe career prospects are limited for exclusive remote workers, while CIPD research flags 20% of remote or hybrid employees worry about unfair treatment compared to office-based colleagues.

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The productivity paradox<\/h5>

The post-pandemic workplace has created a complex dynamic between employer needs and employee preferences. While businesses strive to maintain productivity levels and ensure diversity of thought, data from the ONS suggests declining productivity linked to remote working.<\/p>

“The lack of in-person coordination and interaction, along with decreased motivation, has hampered productivity growth,” according to Business Matters (June 2024). This trend is particularly noteworthy in London, where despite being 50% more productive than other UK regions, remote work impacts are being felt. Business attitudes are shifting \u2013 the percentage of London businesses planning to increase home working dropped from 44% in 2022 to 29% in 2024.

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Understanding proximity bias<\/h5>

The career impact on remote workers isn’t just about productivity \u2013 it’s about human nature. Proximity bias, our instinctive preference for people physically close to us, plays a crucial role.<\/p>

As Greg Fogg, executive managing director at Cushman & Wakefield, notes: “Is it fair? No. But relatively few companies have restructured their management teams to avoid favouring those they see over those they don’t.”

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Taking control: strategic career management<\/h5>

If you choose to work remotely, you need to actively manage your career progression. Here are key techniques to counteract proximity bias:<\/p>

  1. Strategic visibility<\/em>
    Create deliberate opportunities for in-person contact with decision-makers. When remote, make every video interaction count. Remember, your “buyers” are those who influence promotion decisions.<\/li>
  2. Master stealth promotion
    <\/em>If you\u2019re uncomfortable about bragging, adopt effective stealth promotion techniques:<\/li><\/ol>