The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life not only for individuals, but for corporations too. It demonstrated that the companies which survived were thriving digitally, and the ones that were not, got left behind. The same applies to the workforce systems within companies – in order to continue thriving and succeed, this must also be updated to digital ways.
The lockdown required a shift to working remotely or working from home – 60% of the UK’s adult population are currently working from home (Finder.com). However, some companies struggled with this change due to the lack of advancement in their workforce technology. It got difficult to monitor employee’s time and attendance, thus their productivity and efficiency.
Moving forward, as 26% of Brits plan to continue working from home permanently, it is important to have a system which is reliable and easy to use/access.
What is a hybrid model?
It is simply a way of working remotely and only coming into the office for meetings/projects/collaborative work. A study conducted by Boston Consulting Group revealed that 67% of those working remotely since lockdown wish to split their time between the physical workplace and home working in the future.
67% of those working remotely since lockdown wish to split their time between the physical workplace and home working in the future.
WHY?
There are many reasons as to why remote working appeals to different people, depending on their individual circumstances. These are just the top generalised benefits:
Individuals believe the increased flexibility with working times has led to them being more productive. Two-thirds of employers report increased productivity for remote workers compared to in-office. This is due to more “thinking time” being at home, as cited by 51% of respondents. In comparison, only 19% believed this was true for the workplace.
Another benefit to employees is the money and time they save on commuting and not having to buy lunch/coffee outside. The average employed worker said they save £44.78 every week (Finder.com). This also means they are able to spend this time doing things they enjoy – most people started trading commute time with a morning walk/run, and research shows this actually helps with creativity and better quality of life.
Others had more quality time with their families and loved ones – being able to care for them and strengthen personal relationships.
WHY NOT?
For lower-income individuals (under £25,000), those that are single or divorced, living in rented accommodation or living alone, reported feeling lonely. In fact 5% of Brits are categorised as “chronically lonely”. Although most believe that this is a side effect of the long lockdown.
This is why 62% of remote workers want employers to provide better technology that helps them stay connected with their colleagues. (Finder.com) This explains the rise in use of collaborative platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Is hybrid working the future?
Gartner reports 82% of company leaders are planning to let employees work remotely, at least some of the time. Companies such as Google, Facebook and Shopify have already adopted permanent Work From Home policies.
Unilever has been testing 4-day working weeks (ending December 2021), giving staff a chance to slash hours without hurting pay. The director says the goal of this is to “measure performance on output not time” and “a holistic understanding of how work and life fit together, and improving mental and physical wellbeing” (BBC news). When this technique was appointed by Microsoft Japan in 2019, they saw a 40% sales increase.
If hybrid working ends up being the future, businesses must evolve to meet the requirements of the employees in the changing world. Although this sounds great in theory, it requires a lot of work to execute successfully. There has to be a shift from the usual workforce solutions to those that can be accessible for all, so a solid foundation with dependable devices, protected software and remote support.
Why is a flexible time and attendance system important?
As we know, optimising the use of available staff through scheduling can bring significant savings to any organisation. By being able to streamline capture and record techniques, it is easier to manage productivity and efficiency – especially useful when employees are working from home. It assists in keeping track of absenteeism, work time infringements and overtime.
With current traditional systems, it is difficult to manage time and attendance as employees due to accessibility. Furthermore, as administrative work is increases due to the hybrid model, the risk of existing human error also increases. This can cause employees being underpaid/overpaid.
Cloud solutions can help eliminate these risks, reduce administrative tasks, helping you save time and money as well as have all data accurately recorded.
How can we help you?
We provide leading Cloud technology Workforce Management solutions, hosted on Europe’s largest datacenter provider. This can be scaled rapidly across different geographic centres for maximum security and uptime. With the advent of cloud-based personal apps, many traditional business desktop solutions are moving to this system.
As more companies start adopting the hybrid culture in the near future, our solution ZenithWFM Suite is the perfect Time and Attendance solution. It is unique in the UK in that it requires zero component install on any device.
The app allows for anywhere/any device access where an internet web browser is available, meaning it gives you and your employees flexibility and assurance. There is no need for IT infrastructure as all data is held in the cloud, fully GDPR compliant. Advanced features include Notifications, Workflow and configurable Employee Self Service. Read more on https://zenithwfm.co.uk/our-solutions/time-and-attendance/cloud-time-and-attendance/.
The Geo Fencing feature on the app is a client favourite as it allows clocking in from designated work areas only. This can assist in monitoring productivity as you can set tasks to be completed throughout the day, according to time which have to be clocked in/out of.
Some managers are reluctant in adopting the hybrid model as it is difficult to measure employee productivity, as you aren’t able to track their workflow. However, complementary to our time and attendance solution we can offer additional benefits at a cost such monitoring PC, or Job Costing solutions to keep track of the employee’s day/tasks.
Get in touch today and we can help you get started on increasing profitability and employee efficiency!
- Benefits of a Workforce Management System
- Going back to the office is stressful enough, but going back to the workplace doesn’t have to be.
- Is the need for a flexible Time and Attendance system more important than ever?
- How can you utilise your current free time effectively to invest in your business?
- Our Latest Solution
