According to a study conducted by the Conference Board of Canada, the three main challenges for organizations over the next five years will be leadership development, employee engagement and the capacity to respond to change (2016). Results found that only 27% of employees in Canada are highly engaged. The responsibility for addressing these challenges fall heavily on the shoulders of professional development. In my current role as a Training and Development Administrator, the biggest challenge I have is reaching our non-desk employees. For non-desk employees the unique challenges faced include:
- Based in various locations
- Limited or no access to a computer
- Non-mobile friendly intranet
- Often no company e-mail
- No access to documents on the go
- Difficult to hear about company news
- Feel disconnected from head office and office workers
- Limited communication with peers in other locations
(StaffConnect, 2017)
In responding to these challenges, we look to mobile technology as well as the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable devices. In 2012 it was determined that Canada was leading the way in BYOD with over 75% of business supporting the use of personal smartphones compared the to the worldwide average of 46%. Statista states that in Canada, we had 22.8 million mobile phone users in 2016 and it is expected to grow to 28.6 million by 2021. This means that approximately 80% of Canada’s population are smartphone users. A study by Ryerson titled “Transformation of Work” found that adopting mobile technology improved access to information, reduced costs, increased communication and collaboration among employees, and raised employee engagement and satisfaction in the workplace. An international study by Tech Pro Research found that BYOD is thriving in the workplace, and interest in IoT and wearables is growing.
What are the Barriers?
Recent studies found that Canadian workplaces are struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change. According to a study by SOTI, nearly one third of companies in Canada are failing to invest in mobile technology. While mobile usage is becoming increasingly important (and necessary) for a business to be successful, in 2015 only 30% of Canadian companies had a BYOD policy. (Ryerson, 2015). Only half of the companies studied reported having an organization wide mobile strategy, while the rest are still figuring out how to effectively use this technology. And all the while technology is continuing to evolve and change with IoT and wearables introducing more angles to consider. The main barrier identified by IT departments preventing mobile technology in the workplace is security, followed by budget constraints, gaps in skills, multiple competing priorities and a shortage of mobile developers (Kovacs, 2017). So how can we effectively address the barriers to improve employee engagement of our non-desk employees?
Removing Barriers to Mobile Use
A model titled Hierarchical Enterprise Mobility Structure, (HEMS) introduced in a blog by Integrated Change outlines the steps to consider when introducing mobile apps to an organization.
- The Problem. Before introducing a mobile app into the workplace one should thoroughly analyze the problem the app is trying to address. By communicating with all levels of the organization you will have an in-depth idea of the problem you are trying to solve. Then you need to consider whether a mobile app is the proper solution, and if so, what is the predicted ROI of introducing one.
- Users. Identify who will be the using the app by creating a profile of the intended user, or employee group. If it is being used by multiple departments, make sure you have a user story for each of them. By considering the user experience at the outset you will save a lot of time on future modifications to the design. The point is to help the employee be productive and comfortable using the mobile application. By making the experience as intuitive as possible we will increase the chances of them engaging rather than disengaging.
- Policies and Security. Most companies are relying on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) which blurs the lines between work and home. Organizations need to ensure their data is protected and employees need to be sure their privacy will be protected. As mentioned, security is the number one barrier preventing Canadian organizations from adopting mobile technologies. Therefore, companies need to involve all stakeholders including HR and IT departments in the development of a policy securing the data as well as employee rights.
- Development. Once you have fully completed and re-qualified the first three layers it is time to move into the development of the mobile application. It is wise to build some contingency into your development plans, as in all development priority of tasks and items shift or change if it is considered important to the stakeholders and provides better focus on the end user. To ensure success the development stage must include a testing plan to ensure all glitches are removed and the end user has a positive experience.
- Measurement. In the completion of the first four steps you will have a good idea about what each department or end-user was hoping to accomplish with the implementation of this technology. By providing metrics or measurable results to the implementation of the app you will ensure longevity of the project.
- Iteration. To ensure success you need to have a support framework in place to support employees and to provide adaptation and change when circumstances require it. Regular training on mobile technologies to enhance the different skills necessary for an organization to be truly mobile in the workplace today. One can schedule monthly workshops, feedback sessions and organize new testing panels based on their usage as revisions are made.
By employing these steps, and removing the barriers preventing the adoption of mobile phones in the workplace an organization expands their reach to all employees and increases the frequency and quality of communication. This in turn will increase employee engagement and raise productivity, retention rates and employee satisfaction.
A View of the Future
As mentioned, we are moving toward implementing BYOD in the workplace because mobile phones are here to stay and our dependence on them is growing daily. However, and interest in IoT and wearables is also growing. Please see below my prediction on how this new technology can also provide a solution to the barriers presented.
IoT is defined by WhatIs.com as a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. The key issue around security in our workplace is the unique identifier (UID) which is a numeric or alphanumeric string that is associated with a single entity within a given system. At our organization our unique identifier is our employee id. Currently we use Active Directory (AD) tool to ensure our employees get access to the tools they need to do their job but cannot access anything they are not privy to. Most of our intranet is open to all employees but we are moving toward attaching the documents to AD to streamline the information to the appropriate audience. This serves two purposes:
- It ensures only those who should see the information do see it
- It streamlines the information, so it is easier for our employees to find relevant information when they need it.
Regarding mobile technology, there are several security measures currently emerging where apps are activated by fingerprint, or retina scan or even voice activated. Presently, our locations require an access card to enter. I envision a future where access to work item or information requires the employee to simply enter the building, or put on a wearable device and they can get instructions on proper use, in their native tongue if they prefer (translation apps). They will be able to access work related apps on their mobile phones simply by asking a question (voice activation) or by picking it up (iris scan/fingerprint). By using this technology, we are addressing security but also the ease of use issue that prevents employees from using it.
To access more information on Employee Engagement Apps please follow this link.
References:
Arellano, N. (2013, April 5). When it comes to BYOD, Canada is No.1. Comperterdealernews.com. Retrieved from: https://www.computerdealernews.com/news/when-it-comes-to-byod-canada-is-no-1/24237
Armstrong, T & Wright, R. (2016, Jul. 12) Employee Engagement: Leveraging the Science to Inspire Great Performance. The Conference Board of Canada. Retrieved from: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/e-library/abstract.aspx?did=7924&pf=true
Create Integrated Change (2017). Mobile Apps for Employees – What You Need To Consider. Retrieved from: https://www.integratedchange.net/mobile-apps-for-employees-what-you-need-to-consider
Cukier, W., Taylor, G., Ladouceur, J., Shaw, N. & Ngwenyama, O. (2015). Transformation of Work. Ryerson University. Retrieved from: http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/iitm/Copy%20of%20transformationorwork_may29_digatal.pdf
GCN Content Solutions Unit. (2012). Dismantling the barriers to increased use of mobile devices. Retrieved from: https://gcn.com/microsites/2012/download-mobile-and-wireless/05-removing-barriers-of-use.aspx
Kovacs, M. (2017, February 8). New report highlights the importance of mobile apps and the challenges in developing them. Retrieved from IT World Canada website: https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/new-report-highlights-the-importance-of-mobile-apps-and-the-challenges-in-developing-them/390591
Maddox, T. (2016, January 4). BYOD, IoT and wearables thriving in the enterprise. TECH PRO Research. Retrieved from: http://www.techproresearch.com/article/byod-iot-and-wearables-thriving-in-the-enterprise/
Shankar, B. (2017). Nearly one third of Canadian businesses failing to invest in mobile technology, says study. Retrieved from mobile syrup website found at: https://mobilesyrup.com/2017/07/06/nearly-one-third-of-canadian-businesses-failing-to-invest-in-mobile-technology-says-study/
SOTI ONE (2017). Can you manage the mobility tsunami or will you struggle with the next technology tidal wave? Retrieved from: http://comill.com/soti/v1a/
StaffConnect (2017). Howe we help Non-Desk Employees. Retrieved from: https://www.staffconnectapp.com/how-to-engage-non-desk-employees/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_5_QBRC9ARIsADVww15zcX77-x9RWl3i6gkVDaPMrS3udL-UZ7BHx8x9ncpW1k9T_ab-mRIaApAjEALw_wcB
Statista (2017). Mobile usage in Canada – Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from: https://www.statista.com/topics/3529/mobile-usage-in-canada
Wang, S. (2015). Millenials are forcing Canadian firms to up their mobile game. Canadian Business. Retrieved from: http://www.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/mobile-transformation-millennial-employees/