It's time to move over. A new study has found that sitting next to your boss may have a negative effect on the quality of your work.
是時候坐得遠一點了。一項新研究發現，坐在老板旁邊會讓你的工作質量下降。

Researchers in the Netherlands found that physical distance is a key factor in whether or not the bad behaviour of bosses spreads to their employees.
荷蘭研究者發現，物理距離是決定老板的不良行為是否會傳染給員工的關鍵因素。

In a series of studies, the researchers found that participants were more likely to treat others unfairly and act unethically when in the close proximity to their bosses.
一系列研究發現，被調查者坐得越靠近上司，他們越有可能對待他人厚此薄彼，行為上也不夠厚道。

Scientists at the Rotterdam School of Management, led by Gijs van Houwelingen, created five experimental simulations to test the relationship between physical distance and office conduct.
在蓋斯·凡·侯文林根帶領下，鹿特丹管理學院的科學家們創造五種實驗模型來測試物理距離和辦公室行為之間的關系。

'If someone kicks a dog right in front of you, it'll make you very mad,' van Houwelingen told Co.Design.
“假設有人在你面前踹了狗一腳，你會覺得受不了，”凡·侯文林根告訴設計公司。

'But if you hear about someone somewhere in the world kicking a dog, you probably won't feel as mad about it.'
“但是你要是聽到有人在其他地方踹狗，你大概不會有這種難受的感覺。”

Distance can cause a person to become emotionally detached from a particular situation.
距離可以讓一個人在情感上脫離某個特定的場景。

The team created a simulation in which 150 undergrad business students played the role of middle manager with two subordinate employees and a boss, according to Co.Design.
設計公司透露，這個團隊創造了一個模型，150個本科商學院學生在實驗中扮演中層經理的角色，上有一名老板下有兩名員工。

In this simulation, the participants were told different locations for their bosses' whereabouts, either in the same room, or across campus.
在情景中，參與者被告知老板所在的不同位置，要么在同一個房間，要么距離較遠。

The researchers then gave assignments to the participants, and sent them 'fair' and 'unfair' messages, to either explain the decision reasonably or make it appear as though the boss was just passing down unwanted work.
研究者向參與者分發任務，分別告訴他們“公平的”和“不公平的”信息，有些是合理地解釋決定，有些（讓它）看起來好像老板只交代讓人討厭的工作。

The participants were then asked their opinions on the boss' behaviour, and told to decide how they would treat their own employees.
隨后參與者被問及他們對老板行為的看法，并得知自己要決定如何對待下屬員工。

Participants who were physically near, or personally identified with the boss, were more likely to exhibit the same bad behaviour.
坐得離領導越近、或者越認同領導的參與者，越有可能被傳染上同樣的不良行為。

'We saw that the more distant someone is, they're less likely to identify with their boss or describe themselves in relation to their boss,' van Houwelingen says.
“我們看到坐得越遠的參與者，他們越不可能認同老板或描述自己和老板的關系，”凡·侯文林根說。

Spatial distance proved to be a major factor, but the research suggests there are other contributors that determine ethical behaviour.
空間距離被證明是一個主要因素，但研究者暗示還有其他因素共同決定道德行為。

People who feel the need to belong to a social group will be more likely to copy the conduct of others.
覺得（自己）需要找到社會歸屬群體的人將更有可能復制其他人的行為。

Van Houwelingen suggests that offices find a balance that allows for physical distance along with collaboration and strong relationships between employees.
凡·侯文林根建議辦公室（人際）距離應該找到一個平衡點，既能夠相互合作又能維持員工間的牢固關系。

'With distance, you get detached from what happens around you,' van Houwelingen says. 'You might be more likely to evaluate behaviour on its own merits.'
“有了距離，你就能從身邊（發生的）諸事抽離而出，”凡·侯文林根說。“你更有可能根據它本身的優點來評價行為。”

英文來源：每日郵報
譯者：陳艷
審校&編輯：丹妮