Mobile Workforce Management Is No Longer Optional
The article emphasizes that with the widespread use of affordable, internet-enabled mobile devices and cloud computing, businesses must adopt mobile workforce management systems—featuring essential tools like mobile time tracking—to efficiently support diverse mobile employees such as traveling salespeople, remote workers, and those working from satellite offices or job sites, thereby enhancing productivity regardless of location.
In every industry, employees are becoming more mobile. Cell phones, tablets, and smart watches make it easy to get work done anywhere. Internet-enabled devices are affordable and universal. Many people can’t imagine life without them.
Cloud computing provides access to software that used to be premise-based. When business software is in the cloud, you are not limited by geography.
Savvy business owners take advantage of employee skills and universal access to keep everyone productive.
Your staff members are already using mobile devices to manage their personal lives. With our phones, we call an Uber, buy movie tickets, and track our workouts. Our TVs and home security systems are connected to the web. We connect to satellite radio stations from our vehicles.
If your organization is behind the curve, it’s time to catch up. Mobile workforce management systems have never been more affordable or user-friendly.
What Do Mobile Workers Need?
First, you need to identify your mobile employees. It’s pretty obvious that traveling salespeople and delivery drivers fall under this category. Also, service techs and employees who float from location to location. Some employees may work at a satellite office removed from the business headquarters. Perhaps the remote location is a job site for the duration of the project.
What about the employees that come to your office every day? Many of them are probably working at home periodically. You may have staff members who attend trade shows or conferences.
Bottom line: there are many types of mobile staff members. At first glance, you might not believe you have mobile personnel. But you probably have some.
Mobile workforce management software can improve efficiency for any of these logistics. The more tools in your system, the more you can accomplish without connecting to a desktop. Here are 3 must-have features of a mobile workforce management system.
1. Mobile Time Tracking
Punch-in and punch-out is priority one. You can’t pay your team members accurately if you don’t track their hours.
Time tracking works with additional handy tools. Intelligent clock features prevent common punching errors. Make sure your mobile WFM has an intelligent clock. They only present logical options. For example, when an employee returns from an unpaid break, they are only given the option to end the break and get back on the clock.
Pinpoint GPS time stamps the precise location of punches. GPS location management can help you avoid costly buddy-punching. It also helps assure you have workers with the necessary qualifications where you need them.
Job coding is a must-have feature. Job tracking matches employee hours to accounts or projects. This simplifies managing multiple clients when each is billed separately. It improves the accuracy of billing and resource allocation.
Employee time and attendance is at the heart of mobile WFM.
2. Scheduling
Mobile scheduling is a game changer. It allows your workforce to check their schedule on their cell phone. They don’t need to visit a specific terminal, call a manager, or look on a board in the break room.
Scheduling allows managers to build schedules from templates. Your system should automatically alert employees to schedule changes. It should also let workers submit time off requests. When shopping for a mobile system, check for these features.
3. Virtual Swap Board
If mobile employee time tracking and scheduling are in place, you can hit a WFM grand slam. Your mobile WFM software should include a virtual shift swap board.
A centralized online trade board simplifies schedule changes. It gives employees control in managing their schedules.
Employees post shifts they want to trade. They can check unclaimed shifts and request them. Managers can view and approve all shift trades. There are settings for overtime restriction, coverage gaps, and overstaffing.
Contact Swipeclock to learn more about mobile workforce management for your company.
Swipeclock offers WorkforceHub, the unified Human Resources portal that makes it easy to optimize the performance of your managers, employees, and business.
WorkforceHub includes TimeWorksPlus, TimeSimplicity, TimeWorks Mobile, and ApplicantStack. Recruitment, onboarding, benefits enrollment, performance reviews, and employee engagement are also included. WorkforceHub is created for busy employers who need to reduce cost-per-hire, streamline scheduling, automate time tracking, maintain regulatory compliance, and reduce labor costs.
We can get you up and running with WorkforceHub immediately. Contact us today to request a demo.
Or are you interested in becoming a reseller? Check out the Swipeclock partner advantage now.
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