As many organizations continue to allow employees to work from home, managers face two responsibilities that seem to be at constant odds: autonomy and accountability. We checked in with Improv Application Consultant, Carlos Verdin, to see how the Workforce Dimensions’ (WFD) Mobile can help managers navigate these hurdles.
UKG Dimensions Mobile App: Efficiency & Engagement
This year has challenged organizations to become more human-centric, necessitating the need for tools that aid efficiency while maintaining productivity. We have all witnessed first-hand how easy it is for a normal 8-hour shift to turn into four 2-hour sprints throughout the day, but by giving managers and employees tools to determine their schedule and work environment, you are increasing employee engagement.
A study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group shows that employees who are satisfied with their work tools are twice as likely to maintain or improve productivity while working from home.
So how can managers capitalize on this newfound employee autonomy to create a more accountable and productive workforce?
Answer: Functional flexibility, which is a team's ability to adapt to changing conditions while still maintaining service levels.
“Fortunately, one of Dimensions’ new tools is a mobile app that is great for the increase in at-home workers,” says Carlos. “Managers and employees aren't tied their desks throughout the workday. Using the app, managers can check schedules, monitor productivity, access employee data, and even approve timecards from just about anywhere. As well, employees can check schedules, change shifts, and punch in from their phones."
At a minimum, WFD Mobile is a solution to an overdue efficiency problem, but you are probably wondering how your concerns as a manager will be addressed. Here's some insight.
Common Questions on the Workforce Dimensions Mobile App
Manager’s Concern: I may have to take a meeting in the car. How can I provide instant feedback or information to my team without my laptop?
Solution: Workforce Central previously offered standard reports on your laptop, but the functionality with Dimensions allows you to not only customize your reports but also to take that ability on the road. One of the handiest features within the WFD app is that you can customize widgets (iOS) and tiles (Android) for your phone’s home screen to give you the perfect snapshot of your team’s productivity. You can create views to monitor your custom reports, and, if you ever want to dive deeper, you can build reports and drill down to individual data points to resolve issues before they start.
Manager’s Concern: Employees are missing punches, and since we are working out of the office, it takes me longer to find people to correct the issue.
Solution: Employees can now review and submit missed time on their own within the WFD app, reducing the time needed by the Payroll team to correct timecards. Attestation is now a standard function within Dimensions, making the module accessible for both employees and managers. Dimensions gives employees the option to review their timecards every time they punch in, meaning fewer errors will make their way to the managers. Translation: More employee accessibility leads to higher accuracy, which returns time to managers.
Manager’s Concern: I don’t know how to track what my team is doing during the day. How can I truly understand what an employee is (or is not) accomplishing?
Solution: With Dimensions, you now have more productivity data than ever, which will help maintain productivity in an ambiguous work environment. The WFD app can be customized to request breakdowns of work completed to give you a better idea of how an employee’s time is spent.
Important metrics to note:
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Are your employees able to accomplish in six hours what previously took eight?
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Do employees prefer to work in sprints throughout the day or do they tend to have peak productivity hours?
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Do client meetings take more, or less, time now that they are virtual?
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How does this new productivity data impact your bottom line?
Manager’s Concern: At times, my employees must be in a certain place to complete their work. How can I make sure they aren’t punching in while still under the covers or in line at the grocery store?
Solution: This is a common question and you are not alone in your concern. The Dimensions solutions is geofencing. GPS-based requirements can be built into the app to ensure your people are where they need to be to complete their work. Geofencing is implemented by only allowing employees to punch in from a preset GPS location or IP address parameter. While this may seem overbearing, it’s no different than a standard VPN system. (Pro-tip from Carlos: Be sure to communicate this expectation to your team before implementation).
Manager’s Concern: I am worried that some of my less tech-savvy employees may have a hard time integrating an app into their workday. It just doesn’t come naturally to them. How can I help?
Solution: Understandably, some employees may not be as comfortable working from their phones as others. Change can be hard but WFD makes the transition as easy as possible. Customizable Push Notifications can be programmed to send reminders to your team at any point during their shift. Managers can send notifications to employees that remind them to punch in or out, document billable hours, or to request check-ins with managers. Customizing Push Notifications allows you to communicate with your employees, regardless of where they may be on a technology learning curve.
Manager’s Concern: Since working from home, my team feels more disconnected. Shift changes were previously a time to say hello and catch up. This change is impacting our team dynamic.
Solution: WFD is built to be customized. The WFD framework is open-sourced, allowing third parties to work natively within Kronos to enhance user experience. In the near future, you could see integration between WFD and your workplace communication software to create social feeds and chat functions . . . hello work-approved Facebook!
The main takeaway for managers is this: Workplace autonomy is what you make of it. Using WFD to track work-related data from anywhere is a crucial component to the future of work. The pandemic just hit fast-forward on this concept for many managers. And, what you will do with all of the newfound time WFD returns to your workforce? Well, that’s entirely up to you.
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