Tapping onto the enhanced flexibility provided by the Double Robotics Interface, Ms Roxanne Lu, a mother of two makes up for her time away from work, but she can still move around in the office, talk to colleagues and take part in meetings at the business services firm, 3E Accounting.
In an interview with Today, during her maternity leave break, Ms. Lu answered, “When we first started out with the robot, I was a bit uncertain, but then I realized that it is easy to manoeuvre. When I can’t come in, I can also move around the office with the robot and I feel as if I am here. It is also easier to see and talk to everyone.”
Having learnt that an accounting firm in Australia had invested in the technology to help employees strike better work-life balance, Mr Lawrence Chai, managing director of 3E Accounting decided to buy the robot in April under the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme. The scheme funded part of the S$7,000 purchase price for the robot and an iPad that came with it.
“We felt that it is affordable. If the investment is useful, it is worth it. The robot is part of our strategy for a flexible work arrangement for our staff and our approach to constantly keep innovating ourselves,” said Mr Chai.
Investing in technology to promote flexible working might have proved a bit pricey for the firm, 3E Accounting, but Mr. Chai seems to be pleased with employees’ happiness and high staff retention rates ensured by the organisation with significant improvements in productivity and increase in revenue. Average revenue per head rose to S$135,076 last year from S$92,037 a year earlier, and productivity improved to 46.76 percent from 41.96 percent.
To save on costs of hiring new talent and training personnel, organisations across the globe are investing efforts to improve talent retention. Using technology to ease employee’s daily workings and facilitate flexible-working has indeed reaped huge dividends for Mr. Chai and his team at 3E Accounting.
Double robotics is soon taking the world of work by storm by harnessing technology to ensure telepresence, ease of access and offline availability at all times, right from the comfort of your home.
Do you think double robotics interface holds the key to help reduce absenteeism of employees at work, no missed meetings and control employee churning rate? All this and more, by providing employees with the most intangible benefit of being able to access the workstation from almost anywhere and ensuring presence at work at all times. Do share with us what you think.
