by Administrator
18. February 2010 17:39
Are you having trust issues with your mobile workers? Want to know where they are at all times? A growing number of firms are turning to GPS technology to find the answer.
Now, using GPS devices for tracking purposes isn't new. For years employers have used GPS tracking systems to monitor their fleet for delivery purposes and for piece of mind. Some systems even send a signal back as often as once every 60 seconds so you really can know just where your fleet is on every step of the journey. But now it seems simply tracking the vehicles isn't enough.
As the number of mobile workers soared in recent years, so has the number of firms using alternative software to keep an eye on them. According to new research, mobile workers spend 70% of their time in transit, while only 30% of their time is spent in actual meetings and being productive. These GPS devices are designed to increase productivity and encourage work ethic.
Originally these devices were used purely for mobile workers in delivery businesses but now firms from every sector are investing.
“As mobility increases, so does the need for companies to keep track of their workforce, as how they spend their time plays a huge role in productivity and efficiency levels,” said Francis Seaw, executive director of Xtend Services who make GPS devices. “So, it’s critical that companies with mobile workforce have a means of tracking their workforce in real time."
Most of the the software is installed in mobile phones but employers do have a legal obligation to tell workers they are tracking them. So far, the overall response has been positive towards the device but there are some who feel this goes one step further to mimicking a Big Brother environment.
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