4.1 The effects of distance on communication
In the late 1970s and 80s, Professor Tomas J. Allen researched the effects of distance on the frequency of communication between workers in technology based companies.
His findings showed a dramatic decline in the amount of communication as the distance between desks increased, with a large drop off in daily contact at 8 metres distance and less than weekly contact where the distance was 50 metres (New, 2020). This work is represented by the ‘Allen Curve’ (Figure 3).
You might think that the growth in the use of technology to communicate at a distance would make a difference to this, but further work by Allen (2006, p. 58) suggests that this is not the case. He explains:
‘rather than finding that the probability of telephone communication increases with distance, as face-to-face probability decays, our data show a decay in the use of all communication media with distance […] The more often we see someone face-to-face, the more likely it is that we will also telephone that person or communicate by another medium.’
Reeder (2024) shares an interesting view of the Allen Curve that resonates in today’s digital world, suggesting that it isn’t ‘telling us that people need physical proximity. It’s saying we need psychological proximity.’ She goes on to explain that creating this proximity will require two things:
- Psychological safety – creating a space where team members feel comfortable and relaxed enough to be vulnerable and share ideas, free from a fear of judgment.
- Immediacy – use of a real-time communication tool means that comments and thoughts can be shared as if team members were chatting in the office.