“Us vs. Them” – A Qualitative Study on Group-Formation in Hybrid Meetings

To advance inclusion in modern work environments, this paper examines how group-formation in hybrid meetings leads to the exclusion of remote participants, integrating insights from propinquity theory and social identity theory. Utilizing a qualitative multi-method approach, including a single case study within an international consulting firm and observations from academic settings, we explore how physical proximity influences group dynamics and remote participant exclusion in hybrid meetings. Our results yield a theoretical process model which shows that on-site participants’ physical proximity leads to group-formation and remote participants’ exclusion. The model reveals how this group-formation-exclusion process is influenced by three novel factors of hybrid meeting management, communication and collaboration technologies, and composite human dynamics. These factors facilitate the inclusive integration of remote participants. We conclude by providing theoretical implications of this process model and outline practical guidelines on how organizations and teams can benefit from inclusive hybrid meetings.