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 expands access to systems that used to be housed on company servers. When business software is in the cloud—you are not limited by geography.
Successful businesses leverage employee tech skills and universal access to keep everyone productive.
Your employees are already using mobile devices to manage their personal lives. Think about it. With our phones, we call an Uber, buy movie tickets, and count our daily steps. Our TVs and home security systems are connected to the web. We connect to satellite radio stations from our vehicles.
If your organization is stuck in 1990, it’s time to catch up. Mobile workforce management systems have never been more affordable or innovative.
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 team members 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 employees accurately if you don’t track their hours.
Time tracking provides data for several other critical tools. Intelligent clock features prevent common punching errors. Make sure your mobile WFM has an intelligent clock. They react to the employee’s current status. 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.
Built-in GPS certifies the physical location of the clock ins/outs. 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 ensures that you bill your clients correctly.
Employee time and attendance is at the heart of mobile WFM.
2. Scheduling
Mobile scheduling is a game changer. It allows your staff 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 researching mobile systems, make sure they have the tools you need.
3. Virtual Swap Board
If mobile staff timekeeping and scheduling are in place, you can hit a WFM grand slam. Your mobile WFM software should include a virtual shift swap board.
An online swap board is a manager’s best friend. 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 check and approve all shift trades. There are settings for overtime restriction, coverage gaps, and overstaffing.
Contact Absolute Payroll Inc to learn more about mobile workforce management for your business.
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Absolute Payroll Inc offers WorkforceHUB, the unified Human Resources portal that makes it easy to optimize the performance of your supervisors, employees, and company.
WorkforceHUB includes TimeWorksPlus, TimeSimplicity, TimeWorks Mobile, and ApplicantStack. We’ve just added recruitment, onboarding, benefits enrollment, performance reviews, and employee engagement! WorkforceHUB is developed for busy employers like you who need to reduce cost-per-hire, streamline scheduling, automate time tracking, maintain regulatory compliance, and decrease labor costs.
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We can get you up and running with Workforce Management Suite in minutes. Contact us today to book a demo.
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