Mobile workforces now are more essential than ever. Since March 2020, thousands of companies have had to quickly implement a new, or refresh an existing, mobile strategy. Increased expenses seem to be the new normal and profitability, for some, hangs in the balance. Effective communication and collaboration are more critical today—especially in environments with heavy machinery, forklifts, and high noise, where safety is a huge concern. Solutions are needed that allow work to continue without interruption—a win-win scenario for both the company and the employee. And accident prevention always is top of mind, to ensure employee safety but also to avoid monetary consequences.

Our ever-increasing, on-demand world means companies are seeking new and improved methods of connectivity—both physical and digital. But mobility isn’t only about carrying around a mobile device. It’s also an important strategy companies can implement to help increase workplace productivity to achieve business goals. Most of us are comfortable using applications out of necessity or for fun (think Venmo or Instagram). But having apps on our mobile devices (BYOD or company-issued) that help us work, connect, collaborate, and be more productive deliver so much more efficiency.

Handheld computers and tablets provide automated data capture and real-time communication tools, and business-messaging apps enable employee collaboration. But this can be difficult to achieve in certain work environments – where visual distractions or stopping to pick up a device could be extremely dangerous or interfere with the workflow for workers in grocery stores or warehouses, delivery drivers, first responders, or medical personnel, to mention just a few. Keeping them efficient and productive means providing them with safe and simple, fully hands-free ways to connect and collaborate. And knowing you can connect with your workers can help ensure safety, should an emergency arise.

Thankfully, hands-free mobility is easier to achieve than ever before, especially when businesses utilize cloud-based services that foster collaboration, efficiency, and productivity. Simply stated, improved mobility empowers workers by allowing them to do their jobs any time they need to—from any location—so they get more work accomplished with less stress and in less time. That’s good for both employees and the bottom line. And, if those employees are millennials, studies show they’ll expect more flexibility at their workplaces than the generations before them—having been surrounded by technology since childhood. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers  NextGen: A global generational study¹, by 2025 more than 70 percent of the workforce will be comprised of millennials—another thing to keep in mind when re-evaluating workforce mobility.

ScanSource can help you build the right solutions—regardless of size or scope—for your customers. One example ScanSource offers combines a Zebra mobile device with Workforce Connect Push-to-Talk (PTT) Pro software application paired with a BlueParrott headset—allowing push-to-talk, messaging, and voice. Think fully featured walkie talkie. Just by pushing one button on the headset, workers can communicate via Workforce Connect PTT Pro without ever taking out their devices—allowing them to be eyes-up and hands-free as they complete the task at hand. And all workers gain a way to collaborate and coordinate with each other in real time—ensuring operational continuity and safety and minimizing downtime.

Reach out to your ScanSource account executive to get more information on an affordable mobility solution that combines complementary products to create efficiencies, and increase productivity and safety. To learn more, read this Zebra blog.

¹https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/hr-management-services/publications/assets/pwc-nextgen.pdf