We say a common phrase to our friends and loved ones before they embark on a journey: "Let me know when you get home safe." It's a simple reminder that we care about their safety and appreciate the peace of mind that comes with knowing that a loved one has made it home. The same could be said for your remote and traveling workers. These employees require different support systems than those who work in an office to meet your duty of care.
Driving in particular is one of the most hazardous tasks your workers can undertake. With 33% of all workplace fatalities in 2020 due to vehicle collisions, it’s more important than ever to have a system in place to reduce this scary statistic.
That's why companies must take a proactive approach to protect these employees.
One way for companies to make sure their remote and traveling workers are safe is to use remote worker management solutions. These solutions can give managers the tools to track, monitor, and communicate with remote and traveling employees in real time.
Let's break down the benefits and how these solutions confirm their safety:
Some remote worker management solutions include location tracking and monitoring capabilities. This can help managers make sure their employees who work by themselves or travel for work are safe. If the remote worker requires assistance, managers can be notified immediately and know where they are to send help.
There are multiple ways SafetyIQ provides this. Journey planning will include checkpoints throughout the travel. This gives estimated locations of the worker based on time, distance travelled and last check-in. IVMS and GPS devices can also be integrated. These provide accurate location data no matter where the worker is located. They also include additional features such as SOS buttons and vehicle rollover detection.
Maintaining communication with remote and isolated workers is a legal requirement in Australia. Moreover, collaboration is key to building a safety culture. Though with the nature of this work, remote workers may feel disconnected from the rest of the company.
Remote worker management solutions can help managers communicate and collaborate with remote and traveling employees. These solutions often include communication and collaboration tools such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and group chat. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page and that everything is clear.
Communication and collaboration tools also help build a sense of community among remote and traveling employees. This can help improve employee engagement and morale. By using these tools, managers can show their remote and traveling employees that they care and that they are not alone. Managers can also set up regular check-ins, such as weekly calls or virtual meetings, with their remote and traveling employees. This allows managers to keep track of employee progress, address any issues or concerns, and provide support and guidance as needed.
In addition, remote worker management solutions can help managers ensure that their remote and traveling employees stay up-to-date on safety procedures, policies, and regulations. Tools could include interactive training modules, quizzes, and compliance checklists.
Most solutions for managing remote workers come with emergency response tools. They make it easy and quick for employees to call for help in an emergency. This can consist of panic buttons, GPS tracking, and automatic notifications to emergency responders.
In an emergency situation, every second counts. When an accident or other incident occurs on the road, a delay in emergency response can have dire consequences. Studies have shown that even a 10-minute reduction in emergency response time can significantly decrease the likelihood of fatality by 33%. This highlights the importance of having effective emergency response tools in place for remote workers.
A system to monitor the well-being of their remote workers is also important. This can include a "let me know when you get home safe" protocol. Employees are required to check-in with a designated contact or supervisor after completing a task of returning home. If something goes wrong and an employee misses a check-in, the company can take immediate action to ensure their safety.
Searching through multiple sources of safety data, or transcribing paper-based forms is a frustrating waste of time, often resulting in inconsistent reporting. With a remote worker management solution, insights on safety performance, incidents and key safety metrics are captured in a singular dashboard. This allows you to easily analyse your safety data in one place.
Additionally, if a reportable accident has occurred, all the required information is readily accessible to conduct reports and investigate.
In conclusion, remote worker management solutions can help companies ensure the safety and well-being of remote and traveling employees by providing tools for tracking, monitoring, communication, collaboration, training, compliance, and emergency response. These solutions can help managers better understand the remote workers' situation, take proper actions, keep everyone connected & engaged, and ultimately keep everyone safe.
So, like how we remind our friends and loved ones to come back home safely, it's time to do the same for our remote and traveling employees and guarantee their safety wherever they are.
Find out more about SafetyIQ's Remote Worker Management Solutions by scheduling a demo.
We cover a range of topics in our articles - view all blogs.
Copyright © 2024 SafetyIQ Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.