| | | | | important that you set constant objectives and |
| The wide availability of mobile communications | | | | have systems in place which allow for |
| technology has made mobile working part and | | | | collaboration on projects with effective sharing of |
| parcel of the modern business environment. | | | | resources. One of the ways which you can |
| | | | | achieve this is by using Microsoft SharePoint 2007. |
| Mobile and remote working has numerous | | | | |
| advantages for both businesses and workers. | | | | - Ensure regular face to face contact - Although |
| However, it also brings with it a variety of | | | | communications via telephone and email can be |
| challenges for employers who have the | | | | effective, in certain situations there is no |
| responsibility of ensuring that productivity and the | | | | substitute for face to face meetings. These allow |
| overall quality of work doesn’t suffer. | | | | for opinions to be fully expressed and emotions |
| | | | | conveyed more effectively than by any other |
| To help your business to effectively manage its | | | | means. |
| mobile workforce, Genesis Communications have | | | | |
| devised the following handy hints: | | | | - Conform to duty of care and health and safety |
| | | | | guidelines – Under Duty of Care legislation, |
| - Put systems in place - Firstly, and most crucially, | | | | employers hold the responsibility of ensuring that |
| you should ensure that you have the technology | | | | workers are safe whilst working. This applies |
| in place to allow for effective and efficient mobile | | | | whether the employees are based on-site or are |
| working to take place. Genesis Communications | | | | working remotely. Genesis mobile PDA tracking |
| have a comprehensive range of mobile worker | | | | and Blackberry tracking devices are one way that |
| solutions. These include mobile broadband, | | | | employers can conform to this requirement. |
| BlackBerrys, SharePoint 2007 and Microsoft | | | | |
| exchange hosting. To find out more about these, | | | | - Fully integrate all of your documentation – If |
| click here. | | | | your mobile workers use the same forms and |
| | | | | documents as your office-based workers, its |
| - Set the guidelines – Setting boundaries and | | | | stands to reason that things will be much simpler. |
| ground rules is essential for remote working to be | | | | XTrack mobile workflow from Genesis will enable |
| successful. Policies should be put in place to ensure | | | | your remote workers to access forms such as |
| that everyone knows where they stand. Workers | | | | invoices, delivery notes, time and attendance |
| should know exactly what is expected, and what | | | | sheets and health and safety documentation on |
| is and isn’t considered appropriate. For | | | | their PDA devices. |
| example, rules on internet and email usage should | | | | |
| be established. | | | | - Track your workers – Make sure you know |
| | | | | where everyone is at all times with xTrack |
| - Trust your staff – Many companies may be | | | | Express which allows you to track the exact |
| have a culture of suspicion towards mobile | | | | location of workers via their BlackBerry. |
| workers. Some employees may not trust, or | | | | |
| even feel resentful towards remote worker | | | | - Ensure that your vehicle fleet runs efficiently |
| colleagues. Self-motivated staff will work just as | | | | – By using xTrack vehicle tracking systems, |
| effectively, if not more-so than those in the | | | | businesses can ensure that their fleets are |
| office. It is important that all workers accept that | | | | performing as efficiently as possible. Vehicle |
| this is the case. | | | | tracking not only monitors location, but also driving |
| | | | | habits so that misuse of vehicles is eliminated. This |
| - Keep staff task-orientated – Without | | | | can also lead to increased cost effectiveness as |
| constant guidance and interaction with colleagues, | | | | well as productivity. |
| staff can often stray from the task in hand. It is | | | | |