So your business has decided to make the move. You’re going to switch from your old paper-based ways of managing your mobile workers, over to see the shiny new benefits of GPS tracking software.
From a business perspective, it just makes sense. It provides a simpler, less costly and more efficient way to work - one which lets your company cope with all the demands of today’s fast-paced business world.
And of course, you know all about how workforce tracking makes for a happier workforce.
And all that is great from a management point of view.
But what about your workforce themselves?
How can you convince them that a switch to mobile workforce tracking software is a good thing?
Fear of the unknown is a natural human trait and employees are always liable to be resistant to any kind of organisational change. And one of the most common concerns with a mobile workforce management system is that it tracks employees’ actions and movements.
A system such as MyMobileWorkers uses a smartphone app and GPS technology to monitor, in real-time, where each worker is, what they’re doing and how well they’re doing it.
It has significant benefits to the company, including an increase in productivity throughout the mobile workforce, but can be a scary prospect for mobile workers who are used to being ‘off-the-radar’ whenever they’re out on the road.
But rather than being some Orwellian system to clamp down on employees, the day-to-day reality is that it actually helps to reduce hassle, improve safety and allow for a much better boss/worker relationship.
The employee benefits of GPS tracking software:
- Freedom from the office
- Coping with customer complaints
- Relieves the pain of paperwork
- Improves safety for solo workers
- More accurate payment for mobile workers
- Rewards the best performers
Freedom from the office
With everything a mobile worker needs provided via the smartphone app - there’s no longer the need to slog into an office or depot each day to pick up or drop off paperwork. It means less time fighting through rush hour traffic, with the commute to work being the walk from home to vehicle.
Coping with customer complaints
Having an accurate digital record of each worker’s movements and activities helps protect them from any kind of false or unjustified customer complaints. It removes the distrust and uncertainty that can build when bosses have no way of knowing if a complaint is valid - if a worker arrived on time or delivered a particular service.
Relieves the pain of paperwork
One of the major benefits of GPS tracking for mobile workers is the virtual removal of paperwork from the entire process - it’s just less hassle. All the info your company needs is collated and updated in real-time via the smartphone app - it means mobile workers don’t face the tedious task of filling forms and scribbling paperwork at the end of each day.
Improves safety for solo workers
The safety risks are high for mobile workers, especially when they’re working alone. But with a digital system, they have the security of knowing that, should they ever need help, their exact location is known.
More accurate payment for mobile workers
A common gripe for mobile workers is not getting paid for all of the hours they work. And querying any estimates provided is liable to cause anger and resentment. Mobile workforce tracking software removes this grey area and ensures that the pay they receive reflects the hours they’ve worked.
Rewards the best performers
Having accurate data allows you to reward those mobile workers who are performing best at their job. This doesn’t just mean hitting their deadlines but also the quality of the service they provide, with star ratings from customers and clients being provided via the smartphone app.
So while the fear of change is natural whenever you move to a new system, this is largely based on a fear of the unknown. The more employees get to use a digital system, the more they can start to see the benefits of GPS tracking software.
By keeping employees ‘in the loop’ during the changeover and providing them with information on how digital workforce management works, the switch can be a pain free process for both bosses and workers.
We've implemented thousands of mobile workers, so we know how to roll it out. Here's our top five tips for moving to digital management software.
