Work environments have continued to evolve over time. Nowadays, most companies provide their employees with more than just one work arrangement plan.
As opposed to in the past when you had to physically avail yourself at your place of work, today one can opt to work remotely or combine the two to form a hybrid plan. This, however, depends on the nature of the work.
At times it can be challenging to operate alone for a long time and so there are measures put in place to help ease the burden. Here is more about working alone tracking and how it helps.
What is a lone worker app?
It refers to an application developed for people operating alone on a task (lone workers) to provide a solution to some of the challenges that they face while doing so.
Although lone working has proven to be beneficial in a lot of instances it comes along with certain negative effects that if left unaddressed can be harmful to the employee.
Thus, the governments of countries where solitary work is widespread have laws in place to protect the employees by ensuring that the employers provide adequate monitoring and the required support. The use of the app has gained popularity due to its simple yet effective nature.
What are some of the challenges faced by lone workers?
Inadequate support
The fact that one is working alone means that they have to solely rely on themselves to complete the task at hand. Even for highly trained personnel at times one requires support to be able to do the job in an efficient manner. Without it they can end up making a costly mistake that could have been avoided.
Lack of quick response during emergencies
A lot of people have lost their lives at work because of slow response in times of emergency. For example, if a lone worker doing a forestry job gets badly hurt and there is no one around to administer first aid or notify the relevant authorities so that they can get the necessary help it is likely to end in fatality.
Inadequate social interaction
Being alone for long hours can facilitate depression and other mental challenges. Employees who don’t have any colleagues to interact with tend to keep their problems to themselves and when it is finally discovered it might be too late to help.
Safety issues
Most attackers tend to target people who are isolated because of less resistance. Thus lone workers are highly susceptible to such threats, especially, those working in remote areas where there are hardly any people around. See this link to read more https://www.safeopedia.com/lone-worker-management-your-guide-to-lone-worker-monitoring-solutions/2/8256
What solutions does the app provide?
The features are specifically developed with lone workers in mind and can also be customized to fit the type of job in terms of specific requirements.
Notifications
It is good practice to ensure that the employees regularly check-in as per the set intervals. This will ensure that anomalies in their schedule are detected in good time and the appropriate action is taken.
For instance, if someone fails to check-in on the set time a protocol can be initiated to help determine their whereabouts and whether they are safe or in danger. At times one might get caught up with work and forget to check-in.
The app helps solve this by displaying a notification that reminds them that it is time to check in. There are also other reminders that notify the user of various things such as when it is time for a shift change or break.
The notification can be done in several ways such as via text, alarm, or even a call. It’s upon you to choose the method that works best in your situation.
Determining when someone is down
Someone might get hurt and become unconscious and so they won’t be able to request for help. In such an instance, the app will be able to detect the situation and automatically send a request for help. It utilizes phone sensors to detect various variables like motion and orientation. This can come in handy where risky tasks are involved.
To avoid false alarms, the app will first try to notify the user of the detection then if there is no response it will send the message to the control room.
Location monitoring
For jobs that require a lot of movement it is good to track the location of the user in real-time. This makes it easy to find them in case something happens to them. It also makes it possible to warn them of impending dangers. For instance, if they are about to enter a dangerous zone they can be warned and a disaster will be avoided. Click here to read more about lone worker monitoring.
How is it better than other services?
Affordability
Most people already own smartphones hence they only need to install the app and maybe pay the subscription fee. This is much cheaper than having to buy high-end hardware.
Simplicity
The app is designed with user-friendliness in mind. One can operate it even without being trained because there are clear instructions and labels that guide you through the various processes. For example, if you notice that you are in danger you can simply tap a button and it will send the message instead of having to dial a number and manually convey the message.
Inclusivity
It still provides basic functionality even in areas with poor or no connectivity. The scheduled check-in notifications will still be delivered.
Conclusion
Solitary workers need to be able to acquire the relevant support that enables them to do their job in a safe and efficient manner. The lone worker app facilitates this by ensuring effective communication between the fieldworker and the control room. One is able to receive check-in notifications and other important messages. They are also able to easily request help during emergencies either manually or automatically. The location monitoring feature is of great use in such cases. The app is user-friendly and hence easy to use and it is also an affordable solution.
