Look at this definition of experience bias from the Neuro Leadership Institute: other people see the world differently than we do. Experience bias occurs when we fail to remember that fact. We assume our view of a given problem or situation constitutes the whole truth.

When we have experience bias, our judgements and decisions are influenced – potentially excessively so – by personal experiences. 

When it comes to working in an office v working from someplace else, experience bias is a problem.  Because, all too often, this is how policy in this space is being made, rather than any actual evidence. These personal experiences, often of a few (or even just one) senior leader cannot ever be truly representative of the many diverse people that work for them.

This was evident last week when a major UK retailer announced a full RTO five days a week including these quotes from their male CEO: ‘There is no doubt in my mind’ and, reflecting on informal conversations specifically,: ‘I know that has been true for me’.  This is experience bias in action.  This isn’t an evidence based decision making, using either internal or external data.  Instead there is a belief that there is a problem, along with a belief about how to solve it. 

In other words……

I like to work this way, I am most effective when I work this way, so therefore this  must apply to everyone else.

Policy created by preference.  Policy, extrapolated from a handful of personal experiences. 

The problem is compounded when those experiences on which this bias is based are from a particular demographic, or when it is steeped in a particular privilege.  For example, some surveys have suggested that people of colour prefer working in the office more than white colleagues; one suggested reason for this (and I think this is something we need more research on) is that remote work provides a respite from racism and micro-aggressions. Can any CEO who has never had to deal with this in the workplace truly say that they have taken this into account when pondering what has been true for them?  Similar arguments can of course be made about sex and disability in the workplace, with surveys also indicating greater working from home preferences from women and people with disabilities.   Here’s the thing.  When we let experience bias drive decisions, we are not being inclusive.  We are also not being guided by the evidence. 

Our truth is merely that.  Ours alone. 

Experience and preference is a poor way to make policy.  It is also a failure to consider equality and inclusion.