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We’ve changed the way we communicate with our workforce. Tech has come to the forefront, and companies have embraced it. Employee engagement is now a vital requirement of our technical portfolio, and digital tools are reaching out beyond the office to connect with workers, wherever they might be.
Mobile HR apps are becoming increasingly popular in the hospitality industry. Mobile technology and digital solutions offer a host of benefits that really hit the spot for hospitality management. When it comes to improving efficiency, communication, and overall workforce administration, they’re hard to beat. But how do you know which one is right for your business?
The latest generation of mobile HR solutions provides a convenient way for employees and managers to access key HR information, schedules, and communication tools on their smartphones or tablets. Gone are the days of trekking back to the central office to log into the network. Now, employees can access information on the move. This improved accessibility is particularly valuable in an industry where shift working is the norm, and access to traditional desktop computers is minimal.
In an industry where rapid communication is essential for smooth operations, an HR mobile app is a game changer. The ability to deliver instant messaging, updates, and notifications helps managers and employees stay informed and address issues promptly. An app provides a sense of empowerment, allowing employees to manage their own schedules and administration with self-service functionality. It’s also a lifeline for managers, allowing them to contact the team, delegate tasks, access information and deliver praise - instantly and effortlessly. It improves communications, saves time, and boosts morale. A true win-win situation.
Apps deliver on all fronts for enhanced employee engagement. There’s no better way to address employee engagement issues than with an app that delivers precisely on your worker’s needs. And employee engagement is not an issue to be side-lined. Research shows time and time again that companies with engaged employees are the clear winners. Along with promoting retention and fostering customer loyalty, high engagement levels also boost profits. A survey by Willis Towers Watson revealed that companies with high employee engagement have three times higher profits than those with low employee engagement. Quite simply, engaged employees build better, stronger, more resilient businesses.
Let’s take a closer look at the key benefits of a mobile HR app, and how it can transform HR management into a dynamic, engaging experience for everyone - employees and managers.
Employee benefits
The right HR app will give your employees the power to manage their own HR admin, around the clock. And it’ll do it in a way that’s so quick and simple, they’ll love using it.
#1 Easy access
We all have so many passwords and logins to remember, it’s challenging to keep track. And we all know that frustrating feeling of being locked out of an essential app thanks to a complex sign-on process. That’s why you want to opt for a user-friendly employee app with a simple but secure sign-on, providing access to all the functionality you need.
A single employee app allows users to access multiple systems and services with just a single set of credentials - usually their username and password. This means they only need to log in once to gain access to everything. No need to repeatedly enter details. It’s a convenient way to ensure all your employees can gain access, without having to jump through the usual hoops. It saves time and tempers. It’s also highly secure and lets you easily remove users once they’ve left the company.
#2 Fun to use
It’s no secret, we love our mobile phones. The latest research reveals that we spend, on average, 3 hours and 15 minutes on our phones every day. And we check them an average of 58 times a day. So it makes sense to capitalise on this high level of interaction and put it to good use. By placing your workplace in your employee’s pockets, you’re practically ensuring you’ll grab their attention. Adding the essentials of the working day to their favourite device will not only guarantee usage, it will also boost employee engagement with the app, and the company itself.
#3 Everything in one place
Who’s looking after rosters this week? How can I book a day off? Where can I find my contract? With an app in place, this endless stream of questions will become a thing of the past. A mobile HR solution will ensure that all HR information is at your worker’s fingertips. It provides instant document access for employees, putting all your data, from rosters to payroll, online, in one place and available in real-time.
So, what information can be stored on an employee communication platform? There are practically no limitations. You can bundle it all into one place; onboarding, rosters, holidays and holiday balances. Put it all on one centralised platform, reducing the administrative burden and the likelihood of errors. Now your employees can view their rosters, see holiday balances, book annual leave and more, without needing to check with the HR department. They can even clock in and out via the app.
Hospitality is a dynamic and round-the-clock business. The usual hours of 9-5 just aren’t applicable. This makes it even more necessary to offer continuous access to relevant information, even when the central office might be closed. Employees often work different shifts, including nights, weekends, and public holidays. In these scenarios, a 24/7 HR mobile app is a necessity rather than a nice-to-have. It will allow staff to view rosters, request shift changes, and manage availability - at any time of the day or night.
Look for an app that builds fun into the equation too. Even something as mundane as clocking in can be entertaining if handled in the right way. Opt for a solution with fast and secure facial recognition. It means staff can clock in with selfies. It will allow them to clock in, clock out and take breaks, all just using their smartphone and a quick selfie. The result? Not just a smooth and seamless clocking-in procedure. But also happy and motivated staff who actively enjoy the working environment.
Management benefits
A robust HR app will take the daily pressure off managers, carrying the weight of the admin load. And giving you time to focus on the bigger picture.
#1 Data compliance
HR departments deal with a lot of sensitive personal and confidential information, from financial data and medical records to personal ID details. As such, data security is paramount, and compliance with industry regulations is non-negotiable. Respecting employee privacy is vital, and non-compliance with data protection laws can lead to legal action. It’s crucial to have software in place that provides a high level of data security and protection.
The right app will deliver on this requirement, offering a 100% secure document storage solution, while at the same time providing seamless access to data when required. It will also ensure that any messaging you undertake is GDPR compliant. Instant messaging is a must-have within the hospitality industry, but platforms such as WhatsApp don’t provide the level of GDPR compliance business need for a communication platform. With a mobile HR app, employees won’t be able to view each other’s contact details, and leavers will automatically be removed from groups on departure.
#2 Efficient communications
An app offers a seamless two-way communication channel between management and employees. It allows you to instantly connect with your workforce, 24/7, whenever required. You can communicate with your team on the move and delegate tasks without having to get back to the office. You can also broadcast messages in the moment. For example, perhaps you want to send out congratulations to this week’s ‘top employee’. An app will let you deliver this praise publicly, giving it maximum impact.
And communication goes both ways. An app gives employees a voice, opening up that crucial two-way dialogue between management and staff. Look for an app that allows you to collect feedback through surveys. Whether you make your surveys anonymous or transparent, they will help you find out what really matters to your workforce. It’ll give you a chance to turn insights into action, addressing concerns before they become real problems.
As a feedback channel, a mobile app is a top performer.
#3 Streamlined operations
Wouldn’t it be great if you could press a button, and all those mundane HR tasks would just disappear? With an app in place, that’s almost what happens. It will automate routine HR tasks, massively reducing the administration time it takes to chase up and process documents and information.
Take onboarding, for example. This is a hugely time-consuming process, and yet it is vital to ensure the success of your new hires. An app will take the workload off your hands. The very best HR platforms allow employees to be fully onboarded, all via the app. It handles all the paperwork they need to review and sign, delivering it directly to their mobile devices. And employees can then submit all their relevant information - financial information, address details, next of kin etc. - straight to the central resource. An app will even handle those endless changes, allowing staff to update their records at the press of a button.
About Alkimii People
Alkimii People puts all your HR requirements in one digital place. It’s a shared platform that provides all the tools your people need to do their jobs effectively, and it keeps them engaged at the same time. It makes your people happy by letting them do everything on their smartphones, and makes interaction easier, seamless, and 100% paperless. And it reduces the time you and your managers spend on people admin. Freeing you up to do the things that matter, like training, forecasting and analysis, and reducing employee turnover.
It will even display all the information on easy-to-read dashboards, giving you the big or small picture at a glance. All your HR needs, sorted.
