What is a “Mobile Workforce”?
A mobile workforce is a group of employees who work from a mobile device. This could be a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or even a dedicated mobile workstation. Keeping employees connected and productive in the field while they interface with customers is the goal of the mobile workforce. Managing the mobile workforce can be difficult, but it’s important to make sure you do it right. You need to find the right solution for your company and make sure it has all the features you need to manage your employees effectively.
Tip:
Find out how you can leverage the power of the mobile workforce to efficiently control your point of sales activities. More about
POS Checks
Mobile workforce management solutions are designed to help company leaders more effectively manage employees in the field while they interface with customers. Additionally, mobile workforce management software is a SaaS (Software as a Service) solution. This helps create schedules, dispatch employees, communicate with mobile workers, track employee performance, and connect with other data.
What are the Advantages of the Mobile Workforce?
The mobile workforce can help maintain a better work-life balance. With so many people working remotely, employees can have more freedom to live their lives the way they want. This can lead to a more relaxed work environment and improved work-life balance.
Mobile Workforce as a Modern Work Model
Mobile technologies make important information available anywhere for companies and institutions. Employees can also attend to various tasks and assignments outside of the office as well. Rotating between work sites like conference rooms, branch offices, partner companies and the home office has become very pervasive. This is mainly thanks to newly developed devices and software. The field of activities that traditionally belonged to the mobile workforce include technical, sales and delivery services. Mobile high-tech instruments facilitate the efficient scheduling of personnel and work processes, as well as communication between employees and consumers. Due to multiple mobile accessible apps, social networks and cloud computing services, a transition in office work has been introduced. Therefore, this has made the mobile work model attractive there as well.
More Freedom for Employees
A mobile workforce influences corporate culture, types of teamwork and office organization. By having predominantly digital documents, fewer computers and local workspaces, facilities are required which are adapted to the situation. The new mobility concept has several advantages for employees. Usually, they have the flexibility to set their work hours, can choose their work location and organize it accordingly. Mobile workers align their specific form of work with their habits and resources, and contact their team colleagues as necessary. This flexible work style allows them more freedom to develop creative potential. They can seek out locations specific to their personal preferences and tasks, and arrange for the use of various devices depending on their situation: for example PCs in the home office, laptops in team meetings, tablets for customer calls, or smartphones on the road.
Mobile Workforce Increases Productivity
Companies themselves profit from the application of a mobile workforce: with flexible manpower firms increase their productivity, sometimes significantly, because data can be more easily recorded and collected with mobile devices. Via a mobile device events important to business can also be reported faster, and communicated to employees in an uncomplicated manner. A mobile workforce improves the support and advising of customers. Often decisions can be better arrived at and problem-solving approaches found more easily. Mobile technical equipment makes people independent of location. In addition, it allows employees to distribute information to a larger user audience, and to involve colleagues working in distant locations in the work processes. These technologies also make it possible for companies to occupy a workforce in an increasingly project-based manner.
Economically Efficient Work Form
The use of a mobile workforce is particularly economically efficient for companies. As studies have shown, mobile working often increases employee performance considerably, as they voluntarily invest more time in their tasks when working in their home office. Mobile workers must waste fewer hours on daily commutes, devote themselves more attentively to their work in familiar surroundings, and are less frequently affected by interruptions. Because a mobile workforce is active outside of the company offices, and mostly uses their own electronic devices, firms are often able to save considerable costs on office rent, equipment, heating/air conditioning and power consumption.
What are the disadvantages of the mobile workforce?
On the other hand, it can seem problematic for flexible employees to be reachable and available to the company around the clock. This means that they potentially experience a limitation of personal privacy. The mobile workforce model requires companies to face the difficult task of developing strategies. This is to ensure the collaboration of the online, networked, mobile employees and to evaluate their performance appropriately. An additional challenge for businesses is to assure the upkeep of the devices used by mobile employees. They also need to protect the data saved during the work process and passed on through the internet, social media or cloud computing, from loss, misuse and manipulation.
Challenges for Employers
One challenge the mobile workforce poses for employers is isolation and disconnection. Workers can be isolated from each other and from their supervisors, which can lead to a lack of collaboration and communication. This can lead to problems with productivity and morale.
The use of mobile devices can also pose security issues. For example, workers may not have access to secure files on their mobile devices if they are away from the office or if they are using a public Wi-Fi network. This can result in data breaches or theft.
Having a disparate workforce can make it more challenging to know and understand workers’ status, sentiment, skills, and performance. Employers find it difficult to track all employees when they are working remotely or using multiple devices. It can also be challenging to ensure that all workers are meeting acceptable standards if they are working from different locations or on different schedules.
It is vital for employers to work with their employees to create acceptable schedules or help them set boundaries. For example, an employer might require remote employees to stay in touch via phone or video call every day at noon EST. This way managers have a way of knowing how their employees are performing. In some cases, employers may need to provide extra support such as allowing employees more time off for vacation or holidays.
It can be difficult for new employees to build relationships with managers and peers. New employees may be intimidated or feel like they do not belong in the workplace. It is important for employers to create a welcoming environment for new employees and provide training on how to be successful in the workplace.
Challenges for Employees
The mobile workforce can lead to isolation and disconnection for employees. Mobile work options can help improve work-life balance but can also lead to pressure to be available 24/7. It can be difficult for workers to build relationships with their managers and peers. The use of mobile devices can lead to security issues. Having a contrasting workforce can make it more challenging to know and understand the status, sentiment, skills, and performance of employees.
Challenges for Society
The mobile workforce can lead to isolation and disconnection for workers. Workers can become isolated from their colleagues and managers due to the mobile nature of work. The mobile workforce can also create pressure for workers to be available 24/7. This constant need to be
available has a negative impact on work-life balance.
Flexible work options can help improve work-life balance but can also lead to burnout. Mobile devices can lead to security issues because they allow employees access to sensitive information without restriction or supervision. It is difficult for workers to build relationships with managers and peers because they are often working remotely. In some cases, remote working can even eliminate the opportunity for face-to-face interactions.
