In this fast-paced digital world in which we live, advances in technology have given us many substitutes for previously manual tasks. Consequently, it’s now impossible to imagine getting through the day without our mobile phones acting as an extension to our own hands. From waking up to the sound of an alarm (or two) to arranging meetings with clients to participating in online video calls, mobile phones have become an integral part of our daily existence. However, the question that often gets raised is where do mobile phones come into play with human capital management systems, particularly workforce management and time and attendance?
Adoption
It may be unbeknown to some, but not everyone owns a mobile device or a smart device that can talk to HCM systems.
As more and more employers encourage the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend, mobile self-service is becoming a great tool; however, not everyone is keen to take this opportunity up. Data privacy is at the forefront of employees’ minds, however relevant that may be to BYOD; with more media attention on cases such as the Cambridge Analytica scandal, it is undoubtedly a factor in adoption.
Employers also may be less keen to promote BYOD in a specific environment such as retail. Does BYOD encourage the employees to use mobiles when the focus should be on customer satisfaction? No one likes to see shop staff busy on their mobile when they try to attract their attention.
With that in mind, a time clock is an excellent solution as an alternative for the 20%+ of those who either don’t own a suitable smart device to communicate with the workforce management system or simply don’t want to. And whilst company mobiles are commonplace in some industries, it’s uneconomic for the majority.
Security
User adoption is an issue for employers too. Using a user’s personal device introduces a cyber security risk to an organisation. Whilst mobile device management platforms can be used to offer varying levels of protection to an organisation again; employees may be unwilling to allow the level of control their employer may insist upon as adequate risk mitigation.
Accuracy
When it comes to punching-in and out, geofencing technology is often applied to prove a point of presence. But we’ve all been in a big city with high rise buildings where our Google Maps or car sat nav is wildly inaccurate, showing our location maybe several streets away.
A large part of the value proposition for time and attendance solutions is accuracy and cost-saving, the solution should deliver fast ROI. By ensuring staff are ready to work when they punch in rather than walking to work or maybe still in the staff canteen a significant walking distance away can significantly impact these savings, particularly when multiplied per employee, several times a day and 365 days a year!
In summary, time clocks offer significant savings and accuracy over mobile solutions. Especially when you consider the total cost of mobile, BYOD, and MDM ownership, additionally, from a risk perspective, you’ll have a reliable, secure device – designed, tested and certified on your network rather than a multitude of third-party devices varying in age, OS version and security patch level. Your time clock platform will also be continually developed, patched and updated by you via our cloud management platforms, ensuring lower TCO and peace of mind.