WFH turns stressful? Workers say hourly clock-ins trigger anxiety, rather work from office

Malaysian workers say hourly WFH clock-ins are causing anxiety, with some preferring office work due to strict monitoring rules.

A social media post by a local employee has gone viral after she shared her frustration regarding a work-from-home (WFH) arrangement that requires employees to “clock in” every hour, claiming the rule has caused unnecessary stress and anxiety.

In a post on Threads, the netizen expressed how the digital monitoring system has made remote work significantly more taxing than a traditional office environment.

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The worker detailed the psychological toll of the frequent checks: “As of 1.22pm, honestly, I’ve already started feeling anxious, constantly worrying about clocking in every hour. It’s better for me to work in the office, there aren’t any complicated rules there. I can get my tasks done better.”

She further stated that the policy is having a counter-intuitive effect on the workforce.

“Right now, I notice I’m getting anxious, afraid I might miss the clock-in. I’m sorry, but this WFH rule is making all staff prefer to work in the office instead,” the post read.

The post quickly gained traction, with many netizens echoing the sentiment that strict monitoring defeats the core purpose of remote work flexibility.

“Then there’s the online meeting… How am I supposed to speak in the meeting while also clocking in every hour? By the time I realise, I’ve already missed it,” shared user nettyazis.

“Doing it every hour is a bit nerve-wracking. Some people need stricter rules or they won’t take things seriously, but doing it every hour… I’m not at peace while working,” lamented adanaz87 and _aingggg.