Mobile Worker

By 2009, one-quarter of the world’s working population will be mobile workers, according to a July 2007 study issued by Cisco Systems Inc., titled “Understanding and Managing the Mobile Workforce.” Before you doubt that a quarter of your work force is or ever will be mobile, consider the categories of mobile workers identified in the study:

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* On-site movers work at one site, but move around within it, e.g., security guards and IT technicians.
* Yo-yos occasionally work away from a fixed location, e.g., jobs that require business trips.
* Pendulums alternate between working at two fixed locations, e.g., the company office and a client’s office or home office.
* Nomads work in a number of different places and constantly move between them, e.g., a sales rep calling on many customers a day.
* Carriers work while they move, transporting goods or people, e.g., train conductors and airline attendants.

Research firm IDC claims that the number of mobile workers is increasing faster than home-based workers and that mobile workers are more productive. But companies need to pay special attention to hiring the right kinds of employees, and managing them properly, in order to realize the productivity and efficiency benefits of a mobile workforce.

The process actually starts with hiring the right type of managers for mobile workers. They must be results-oriented rather than process-driven. That is, they need to be comfortable seeing only what mobile workers get done and not what they're doing moment to moment. Managers must be at ease with email, instant messaging, video conferencing and plain old phone calls as their means of communicating with mobile workers. Managers must also be able to empathize with workers whom they don’t see often in order to know when someone is under stress or is feeling isolated from the team. Finally, managers must know how often and in what tone to communicate with mobile workers.

The Cisco Systems study identified several personality types that characterize successful mobile workers. Note that more than one of these personality types may manifest in any given employee.

* Stimulation Seekers: Extroverted and seek contact with people, want to go out and see clients
* Tough Survivors: Emotionally stable, with low levels of neuroticism and the ability to cope well with pressure
* Curious Explorers: Creative, open-minded and seek a variety of experiences
* Independent Decision-Makers: Like to work without supervision
* Disciplined Achievers: Conscientious and self-motivated

When recruiting mobile workers or selecting employees for a project that involves mobile work, it's important to test candidates for resiliency under pressure, either through interviewing, testing or by examining the candidates’ track records. Additional competencies that should be assessed include communication skills, customer focus, planning and organizing, flexibility and adaptability, and the ability to build relationships.

Mobile workers should also be asked to demonstrate the ability to communicate through various technological media. This task will give candidates a look at what’s expected of them, and some may deselect themselves.

Mobile workers may be at greater risk for physical and mental health problems than stationary workers. Travel can make it difficult to eat properly, exercise and sleep. Isolation from the support of colleagues can allow mental strain to build up to unhealthy levels.

Many mobile workers lack sufficient technology tools to get their jobs done efficiently — a situation that leads to greater stress. It's management’s job to see that mobile workers get the tools they need, to build supportive communication channels and to help employees achieve a healthy work-life balance. Strategies such as relaxation exercises and positive self-talk techniques will help mobile workers manage negative emotions, in the absence of peer support.

Of course, it's vital that mobile workers be equipped with proper and reliable technology. The basic “road warrior” kit includes a mobile phone, a laptop computer, secure remote access to the corporate network and easily accessed communication systems (instant messaging, email and voice mail). IT support should be available when needed. Rather than forbidding all personal calls on company cell phones, technology should encourage easy contact with workers’ support networks when they're feeling isolated.

To combat feelings of isolation, managers should act as bridges between mobile and office workers, building lines of support between the groups and helping them understand each other’s unique problems. One way to do this is to encourage mobile workers to share photos of their home offices and the places they visit with the office staff. Regular video conferences between office and mobile workers can help maintain team relationships. The use of instant messaging and “presence” software, which informs everyone on a network who is online and where they are, can help mobile workers feel noticed and included.

To take full advantage of mobile work environments, managers must be willing to give up some control and work to build individual relationships with mobile workers. The right kinds of employees for mobile work environments must be selected based on the appropriate criteria. Office and mobile staff must form supportive relationships. And finally, mobile workers must be equipped with the technology tools and psychological support that they need.

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Why are we here?

The picture above may give you some insight about how we live and work in the 21st century

We may wonder, why this men, at this age, with this cultural background, is having this conversation as he rides his bike?

He is on a move, on a mission, trying to accomplish something.

Is'nt he?

We all need to move, communicate, accomplish...something

To certain degree we are mobile workers...and mobile workers need tools to accomplish more.

That's what that men is doing, using his mobile phone as a tool to get something done.

But what if your mobile phone could enable you to do much more than "talk"?

There are many scenarios where talking is not an option and it is not the best thing to do.

What about getting things done by transmitting your location, status, updates automatically?

A piece of software running on your cell phone and constantly transmitting your location, status and updates to the people relevant to your business.

You don't need to call if you don't want or you can't. Simply update your status.

You will be found, when you want to be found. You will find, when you want to find.

Walk with me for 5 more minutes...Who are you? Do you work?

As a professional are you mobile or are you stuck?

Are you a mobile worker?

Are you a manager at a field services company?

Are you a dispatcher?

Are you the owner at a field services company?

Today we have more than 150 million workers and 150 million cell phones in USA

Are you one of them?

Mobile workers spend more than 40% of their time away from their desks.

Many mobile workers visit customers to help or to deliver something.

In this dynamic environment, productivity and time are really precious.

1 hour may cost $ 20 to $200. It varies a lot but time definitely costs money

How much do you make for each hour of work? Or for each hour of your team?

How much to accomplish all your deliverables and get home 1 hour earlier?

Your productivity can help you accomplish more and grow in your career and compensation.

Improve quality of life.

Mobile workers that accomplish more can increase profitability in thousands of Dollars for each worker.

With so many customers to help and so many orders do fulfill, a typical work day can be really stressful.

If you can perform one more visit, you can make more money, your company can make more money and your customer can make more money (or have more value).

If we can achieve more, perform more visits, more transactions, we have a win-win-win situation.

But how can we do that?

Tools...for the mobile worker.

That's where we come from. We enable cell phones to do much more than talk...

Movelus was born to make a meaningful contribution to the service industry

Our mission is to enable companies with mobile employees to accomplish more by using our technology

Our vision is to make "Location" as relevant as "Search"

Our technology was built on top of the internet, wireless and gps.

We provide software as a service.

You don't need to buy special hardware or special software to use our technology

If you have a Sprint/Nextel phone you can start your 2 months trial for free.

It's really simple and fast.


Go to http://www.moveluslabs.com and click on subscribe for a trial and click on red icon for a demo