1. Problem Statement

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has been the norm. However, a large number of people admitted that they find it difficult for them to work online. Our team has identified three main problems that employees face when working remotely, which lower their productivity.

1.1 Lack of interaction among colleagues

Communication is not as easy remotely as it is face-to-face because more work is required to keep up casual conversations, using online conference apps like Zoom, Google Meet, e.t.c. Additionally, team-based projects are discouraged due to ineffective communication and a lack of task-tracking platforms. As a result, it may leave the employees feeling isolated from their team and company, especially if they are newly employed (Milana Virtanen, 2020)

1.2 Distraction

It is undeniable that working at home is more convenient since they do not need to commute for long hours to the workplace and prepare to go to work (change clothes, prepare lunch, drink,...). However, everything has its pros and cons. Working at home also means facing various distractions, namely social media, house chores, their children, etc... Even a few minutes of distraction can make them lose their working momentum.

1.3 Lack of motivation

There is a paradoxical relationship between pressure and employee performance. Although a high degree of stress might be hazardous to employees, the right amount of pressure on them might motivate them to progress in their tasks. However, in the case of online working, there are not many chances for colleagues to catch up on each other’s working life and progression, compared with on-site working, where they have various opportunities, namely lunchtime or break time, to socialize.

2. Target customer:

Multinational companies or government sector organizations with 100 to 200 employees.

3. Proposed solution

Based on the APM model (Annex A), our team designed a multi-purpose interface with an aim to create both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for employees in virtual settings. This interface will incorporate 3 main features.

3.1 Virtual Office

3.1.1 Attendance Check Point

When users first enter the app in the morning, there will be a welcoming lounge where employees can take photos of themselves wearing business casual clothes. While wearing a pyjama might make an employee feel more comfortable, taking time to dress formally allows him to have better preparation for a working day ahead. In other words, it makes him feel more energized and motivated to work seriously. After the employee posts his photo successfully, it will be displayed in the photobooth of the company where everyone can see their colleagues’ today costumes. This will create a sense of belonging and build a foundation of connection among them.

When an employee takes his photos at the photo booth, the system will check attendance for him at the same time.

3.1.2 To-do list

After leaving the attendance checkpoint, a menu will pop up on the user’s screen for further requirements, one of the options for them is the To-do list. This function will have 2 main sites, Your individual work and Others’ Progress. Users can view what they need to do, what they have done and new tasks in detail given to them by superiors. After finishing the task, they can post their work on there and click the check button. On the same site, others can view their work and leave comments for them. The remaining site can view their colleagues’ work progress and those in the same department with them. This can create more motivation for them to work, knowing that others are working hard. Moreover, with every check they make, they will have a sense of achievement and have the drive to achieve more.

3.1.3 Working room

As we have mentioned before, working alone might sometimes be tedious and boring. Let us introduce you to our next function in the main menu which is a virtual working space. When users choose this function, it will take them to an interface where they can choose to work with their colleagues in the same department or the whole company’s employees simultaneously. In other words, people will on their videos while working, knowing that somebody is working with them or watching them working, they will be more motivated and energized to finish their tasks.

3.2. Networking and learning booth.

3.2.1. Exploring new disciplines and jobs through team-based projects

Workers are allowed to choose from various projects in other departments of the company and participate in one of them with a randomly-chosen partner. The projects are merely minor tasks that are not essential to the company’s function, so employees can freely explore new areas without causing financial damages. For instance, a beauty-product company may have mini-tasks such as making surveys on customer experience on various products and analyzing collected data for possible future improvements.

3.2.2. The random mechanism for partnering

The app’s interface for this feature contains a list of projects that one can choose from. Once they have chosen their desired projects, the app will match them with another partner who also opted for that project or put them on a waitlist for future matching. This creates an opportunity for workers to interact and collaborate with other people in the company, encouraging the formation of new relationships within the workplace.

3.2.3. Learning resources

As employees will work on new areas and might lack experience and knowledge, online learning platforms such as Coursera, EdX, FutureSkills will be incorporated to the app to aid them at the beginning of this learning journey.

3.2.4. Leadership

As part of the APM model, the desire for power and leadership contributes significantly to job satisfaction and motivation, RE: Station, therefore introduce a leadership system to this networking booth by allowing employees to alternate between leader and follower positions each time they register for a new project. Employees are able to choose their wanted position for their first project. The system will automatically assign the leader position if the user was a follower previously and vice versa.

3.2.5. The extra payment as an extrinsic motivation

Employees are paid an amount of money for their hard work, which will vary according to performance and result. As multiple teams may participate in the same project, each team’s performance will be recorded and posted on the app when the project ends. The number of teams competing in the same project may also appear on the interface to introduce a certain amount of peer pressure, which can promote working productivity.