Managing mobile teams requires good coordination and communication. Stand-alone solutions do not cover the range of requirements needed for this. Continue to read if you want to know why and when you need a workforce management software.

In many areas, decentralised teams are an integral part of the personnel structure. These include the classic field service, many care professions, assembly teams, but also craft businesses and service providers. Regardless of the industry and the company size though, they all have one thing in common: staff deployment and communication with the on-site team must be planned, controlled and evaluated.

What does workforce management actually mean?

Workforce management is a process within companies. The aim of this process is to maintain and, at best, increase the productivity of the team. Part of this process is the planning of projects, workflows, time and budget, the scheduling, coordination and training of the mobile workforce, as well as the analysis and permanent optimisation of the process.

How can workforce management software support this process?

Administrative effort is reduced
Workforce management software is the tool that makes workforce management an efficiency accelerator and thus a real added value for companies. Good software is therefore much more than a system for recording and operating. It enables companies to drastically reduce their administrative effort by defining and, if possible, automating standard processes around decentralised work deployment.
Work processes become transparent
All information about projects, project performers and customers are bundled in the database of a workforce management software and can be called up selectively. Internal work orders can be generated from this and sent directly to the employees on site on their smartphone app. Feedback on the work result or unusual incidents can be transmitted by the person carrying out the work via such a system. The person responsible for the project thus receives a transparent picture in real time of what is being done where and by whom, and can solve any problems in a timely manner.
Work instructions are clear
Unclear work instructions are disruptive factors in any process. Good workforce management software therefore offers easy-to-use options for storing project-related information such as photos, checklists or written instructions. In contrast to paperwork and verbal briefings, this makes work orders clear and unambiguous. This in turn reduces the error rate, increases motivation and leads to a positive conclusion of projects, small or large.
Teamwork becomes easy
In a few years, all workforce management software providers will offer their solution via the cloud. This is the right way to go, because the provision of all data via the cloud, independent of location and time, is the basis for multimedia communication between project management (via desktop) and workforce (via smartphone). Software that integrates mail, chat and video conferencing functions in addition to the option of uploading photos and videos directly to the cloud offers companies the greatest possible convenience. The perceived distance between office and field staff disappears completely and teamwork can be actively lived in real time.
Workforce scheduling becomes flexible
Everyone who is responsible for staff scheduling knows about sickness-related absences and the corresponding increase in administrative work. In the ideal workforce management software, the skills and personal deployment attributes of each individual employee are stored. If the need arises, the most suitable free employee can be found and deployed within a short time, even when facing large teams and with just a few clicks. Even internal company tenders, in which employees "apply" for a project, are possible. Staff absences thus become (almost) a thing of the past and staff deployment is made more flexible.

Summary

A closer look at the market for workforce management software is therefore worthwhile if you want to sustainably increase the efficiency of your workforce. However, this market is highly fragmented. There are big differences in terms of functionalities and costs. Many solutions, for example, focus only on staff scheduling and leave out other important aspects. Others entice with additive modules whose total costs are often underestimated at the beginning.

Recommendation: Celero One Cloud Software

Celero One is a simple and smart cloud software for workforce management which focuses on the essentials. A detailed look is worthwhile for anyone who wants to efficiently manage their decentralized workforce.

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