Managing the Workforce With Technology: Insights From Digi-X on the Implementation of Flexible Work Arrangements

Over the course of the pandemic, the nature of the workforce in Malaysia has drastically changed to accommodate various forms of lockdowns and restrictive measures, as well as the safety and well-being of employees. This has undoubtedly led to a number of growing pains — challenges that have required a rethink when it comes to the way of work for many businesses. 

With that in mind, the Head of Digi-X, Lee Kathryn, recently spoke to the folks over at TalentCorp Malaysia to share some insights on the team’s implementation of Flexible Working Arrangements (FWA) — as well as the transition to a remote working model during the pandemic. 

If you missed the webinar, and you’re looking into the pros (and cons) of a flexible working arrangement for your business — here are the key takeaways that you need to know about.‍

How Digi-X embraced the Work From Home arrangement  

Before the initial Movement Control Order was even announced, Digi-X already had a number of company-wide advisories against large groups, meetings, or gatherings. The entire team was encouraged to handle meetings with partners, customers, and other stakeholders virtually over video calls, instead. 

Eventually, Digi-X implemented a hybrid working model — right before the Movement Control Order was officially imposed. This gave the team a chance to trial remote working processes and tools, even if some of the workforce (Team A/Team B) were working from the physical office. 

“For us, the tools we had made it relatively easier to plan for the entire team to work from home, or even a hybrid model. We were well aware that working from home was very different — you didn’t have the convenience of having your colleagues right across the table.” - Lee Kathryn, Head of Digi-X

Here are some of the tools and processes that can help your team succeed with a work-from-home/hybrid model. ‍

Daily check-ins on altHR

Kathryn explains that a daily check-in model is important, particularly during the pandemic. Everyone in the team was required to submit a status check every morning: where they were working for the day, as well as an update on their health status. 

At first, this was done via an online workflow management tool at Digi-X. Eventually, however, the team built daily check-ins as a feature within Digi’s HR super app, altHR, which allowed for everything HR-related to be integrated within an easy-to-use platform for employees and managers alike.  ‍

Project Management

This was supplemented with an online project management tool, which helped the team become more asynchronous — which basically minimised the need for so many meetings in a day. Kathryn explains that working from home can lead to even more meetings and calls, which is why this project management tool was implemented as a daily tool for Digi-X. 

Digi-X also implemented a mandatory requirement for pre-reads to be sent out before each meeting. Essentially, this meant that attendees could come prepared with questions, and the entire meeting process was streamlined for efficiency. This was particularly relevant for meetings with a lot of data to absorb and understand, such as business performance reviews. ‍

Virtual storage, virtual phone lines

For file management, Digi-X has long been using cloud storage — namely, G-Suite and Google Drive. This makes it easier for individual team members to access certain files, and it also streamlines the process of transferring large files between one another. Additionally, this reduces the chance of files going missing, with entire teams sharing cloud storage that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. 

Meanwhile, the team at Digi-X does not use physical phone lines for customer and partner calls. Instead, the team uses Omni Hotline, a virtual business phone system that offers all the benefits of a physical landline (including a landline pre-fix), while working on your smartphone. Every team member, via Omni Hotline, has a dedicated extension to be reached at. ‍

HR & communication: altHR

For most HR and communications-related matters, Digi-X relies on altHR. This can be broken down into four key areas, starting off with Core HR, which covers the end-to-end of HR — including payroll, leave management, expenses, and other automated HR processes. 

There’s also a handy Documents module, which offers secure access to important documents for employees. This comes in handy for digital onboardings, where new employees can sign off on (previously physical) compliance documents via the Documents module; HR admins can then track whether these documents have been signed. 

Meanwhile, altHR comes loaded with modules that are targeted towards Employee Engagement, a crucial part of any business. To help with effective (remote) team monitoring, Digital Workplace modules such as rostering and time-tracking also play an important role — particularly as companies move towards hybrid work models.

And finally, the super app comes with a built-in online store for your employee’s needs, and even an insurance module. All of that falls under Perks & Benefits, with the aim of using creative benefits to maximise employee happiness. 

Essentially, altHR digitalises all of your HR processes, so that you can focus on the things that matter in your business. ‍

Prepare to return to the office with the right tools, starting with altHR

As Kathryn explains, working from home is probably second nature for many professionals in 2021. However, it’s absolutely crucial to ensure that the transition — from the office, to the office, or to a hybrid model — is made as seamless as possible. This involves the use of various processes and tools, such as Digi’s super app, altHR.

Keeping track of everything can be challenging, particularly for employers and HR professionals in the SME sector — but it doesn’t have to be. The world is going increasingly digital these days, and this trend is set to continue in the years to come. HR professionals are often faced with daunting, often tedious tasks on a daily basis — tasks that have become even more difficult to handle in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. 

But help is available, if you know where to look. Let us streamline your HR processes by managing and automating day-to-day tasks, so you won’t have to worry about things like paperwork, privacy concerns, time-tracking, or onboarding challenges. Instead, focus on the crucial pillars of your business, and the happiness of your employees. 

Sign up for altHR, the all-in-one digital solution that covers everything from payroll and onboarding, to staff management and providing employees with information kits. You’ve done it the old way long enough.