Best Mobile Workforce Scheduling Software
Buyer's Guide
Mobile workforce scheduling software consists of tools and methods used to assist and equip the scheduling of mobile workers while they execute their roles. While each staff is unique, the ultimate goal of mobile workforce scheduling software is to increase mobile workers' performance, speed and comfort.
To schedule and evaluate the workings of mobile employees as they execute services and assist customers, efficient mobile workforce scheduling software employs optimized procedures and current technologies.
Let's look at the components of good mobile workforce scheduling software and the benefits it can bring.
Executive Summary
- The best mobile workforce scheduling software allows you to create schedules by efficiently storing and tracking remote staff information.
- Ideal mobile workforce scheduling systems reduce labor costs by automating time-consuming processes and increasing overall productivity.
- A product assessment will be a crucial stage in your purchasing procedure. Our software comparison analysis is a valuable resource.
- There are some questions to consider when researching providers to confirm you receive a fully comprehensive solution.
- Upgrading to better technology comes with a learning curve; therefore, make sure that your team is ready.
What This Guide Covers:
- What Is Mobile Workforce Scheduling Software?
- Deployment Methods
- Primary Benefits
- Implementation Goals
- Key Features & Functionality
- Advanced Features to Consider
- Upcoming Trends
- How to Begin a Software Comparison
- Cost & Pricing Considerations
- The Most Popular Mobile Workforce Scheduling Software
- Questions to Ask Yourself
- Questions to Ask Vendors
- In Conclusion
What Is Mobile Workforce Scheduling Software?
The scale and diversity of today's mobile workforce, which contains a collection of people delivering services in the area, typically on-site with customers, has expanded throughout time.
According to Statista, the U.S. mobile worker population is expected to reach 93.5 million by 2024, up from 78.5 million in 2020.
Mobile workers are an essential part of the broader deskless workplace.
According to Salesforce’s State of Service Report, “75% of mobile workers say field operations are connected to core services at their organization,” and 79% believe their work directly correlates to business performance.
With the mobile workforce being such an essential role for your company, they require unique scheduling technologies and methods to offer services to clients.
Mobile workforce scheduling software simplifies the planning and maintenance of remote and mobile worker schedules by utilizing analytics and data-driven technologies. Allocating shifts in minutes relieves you of the daily suffering of repeating duties like filling out mobile employee information and counting hours.
This software produces an adequate timetable for remote employees of your firm by following established guidelines. They automate manual operations to ensure consistent outcomes and boost efficiency while considering availability, demand, employee preferences and labor rules.
Mobile workforce scheduling software combines extensive scheduling and dispatching tools with innovative optimization capabilities to help businesses simplify and accelerate field service while lowering costs and identifying new income streams. It enables you to dispatch the most qualified specialist to the most appropriate project, increasing customer satisfaction.
Mobile workforce scheduling software frees management from the constraints of paper timetables and improves organizational operations. Your managers can develop the most effective schedules by obtaining precise employee details and side-by-side viewing capabilities.
- Applicant Tracking Systems
- Call Center Workforce Management
- Compensation Management
- Employee Engagement
- Employee Pulse Survey Tools
- Employee Scheduling
- Enterprise LMS
- HR
- HR Software For Nonprofits
- Interview Scheduling
- Job Board
- LMS
- Onboarding
- Online Training
- Payroll
- Performance Management
- Recruiting CRM
- Recruitment
- Sales Commission
- Talent Management
- Time and Attendance
- Workforce Management
When making changes, they can also consider staff preferences and receive immediate information about any shift changes or rescheduling demands.
Mobile workforce scheduling tools also assist managers in assessing each employee's spare time and detecting gaps, allowing them to save time and expense in the long-run.
Businesses become more productive and less concerned about labor expenditures due to these systems, which reveal remote employee availability instantaneously. They can also correctly anticipate their potential remote workforce at distinct moments.
Employees may also profit significantly from mobile workforce scheduling tools, depending on their nature. Remote employees can receive an immediate notification of changes in the schedule and access them everywhere from their devices, thanks to the cloud-based nature of most contemporary solutions. Instead of relying on management, remote employees can use the application to schedule their time.
Sophisticated mobile workforce scheduling programs facilitate:
- Using pre-built layouts to save time while creating and reproducing remote workers' schedules.
- Posting schedules and alerting individuals to any changes.
- Preventing understaffing, overstaffing and double-bookings by filling schedules with the most qualified employees.
- Resolving issues and allowing shift swaps through a self-service staff site.
- Maximum hour warnings so you can avoid unwanted overtime hours.
- Forecasting labor requirements based on historical trends.
- Compliance with federal and state-mandated rules and laws.
Deployment Methods
Choosing the correct deployment model is crucial in implementing the software of your choice. Most programs today are deployed via the cloud or through an on-premise strategy. Cloud-based solutions typically have lower upfront costs and automatic updates and can be implemented faster.
Due to these reasons, their popularity has soared massively. However, your business type, industry and service offerings should decide the deployment methodology you want to adopt. Here are a few considerations to look over before choosing the option that fits your unique requirements:
Cloud-Based
Cloud-based solutions are deployed via the web, allowing users to access them anywhere, as long as users have the necessary login details and internet connection. You don’t have to back up company data manually as it is saved on the cloud automatically. This way, you can rest assured that your information is secure. There is typically no installation or maintenance cost involved.
This deployment strategy is convenient and cost-effective to implement at multiple locations and levels. Managers can remotely approve schedule changes through their mobile devices. Cloud-hosted solutions let staff conveniently log in from anywhere for work.
These systems also update local login information during work hours with time clocks when internet use is restricted. Employees can also leverage online portals to access information, updates and records. However, cloud-based software offers the lowest level of physical system control. Business owners have no access or control of the physical servers that store company data.
On-Premise
On-premise software is installed directly onto your local server and is only accessible to the users in your private network. You would have to take regular data back-ups if a computer breaks down or needs replacement.
This deployment strategy is convenient if internet connections are unreliable and if use is specific to a location. It becomes much more challenging to balance when there are many locations to manage, as is the case with mobile workforces. Data has to be manually controlled and physically transported to one place. However, an off-site employee or roaming staff member can’t remotely clock in.
On-premise software’s main strength is that businesses can control and own the software’s physical location and servers. Key individuals can physically reach the actual servers where data is stored. You also have control of security and customizations, as long as you have the skilled IT support to manage it.
Primary Benefits
If you've made it this far, it's clear that you want to improve the efficiency of your mobile worker scheduling operations. Though scheduling applications serve each organization differently, let's see how putting one in place can help you. Here are a few benefits you can get from these mechanisms:
Easy Remote Workforce Scheduling
When done manually, remote employee scheduling takes a long time. Numerous issues, such as remote staff availability, working time, overtime and labor law compliance, necessitate extensive manual entry.
Applications for remote staff scheduling manage leave and shift swapping requests while creating and modifying schedules. Some services pre-fill fields, making sure you spend less time planning them.
Efficient Shift Change
For any shift to be ideal, it is always crucial to remain aware of changing mobile employee availability. These tools alert managers to unanticipated staff absences and the need for extra resources to finish shift tasks.
The software can also assist in the search for appropriate substitutes by recommending a list of standby staff.
Streamline Work Processes
Managing scheduling problems and interacting with mobile staff while complying with legal regulations are your everyday operating challenges. Scheduling technology helps handle change and communicate with employees while still conforming to labor standards.
These solutions use centralized databases to connect disparate operations, allowing fast and effective scheduling algorithms. Automation improves efficiency levels by enabling communication between management and staff.
Ensure Compliance
Overlooking personnel documents and store identification severely impacts your everyday operations. It's critical to keep an eye on employee identities and make sure they're following the rules. Workers with expired labor credentials receive alerts from scheduling software, and those with outdated certificates are temporarily blocked.
Assess Organizational Resources
These platforms provide extensive data on everything from attendance to work performance, allowing you to measure your firm's assets directly.
Monitoring your available resources allows you to make informed decisions, such as hiring qualified employees for critical positions or modifying calendars if there are multiple leave petitions.
Enhance Data Insights
A sound workforce management system relies heavily on thoroughly examining obtained data insights. Organizations can optimize resources and improve productivity across service delivery by employing quality insights, assuring optimum usage of every notification and engagement at every level.
Improve Visibility
It's particularly difficult to foresee availability, comprehend where your mobile staff is or resolve any issues when you don't have a good perspective on day-to-day activities. Mobile workforce scheduling software attempts to bring insight into otherwise hazy aspects with real-time statuses, location monitoring and full integration into other platforms.
Implementation Goals
You'll like to have a good head start on deploying your new software, just like you would for any other latest additions to your company. Recognizing what you want to accomplish from employing it is a part of a larger strategy. Your system implementation should satisfy a few objectives to gain the most from your new software.
| Goal 1 Provide Operational Delegation | You can use your personnel to their most incredible ability if you're using the best routines. You know everything your remote staff specializes in, so plan them accordingly. If you have a workforce with various job skills, you'll need to choose a platform to identify those capabilities and plan accordingly. Your service must assist in ensuring that you have comprehensive support. |
|---|---|
| Goal 2 Eliminate Scheduling Errors | These solutions also consider the specific pay and hour concerns of a business. While you correctly track their working time, your staff must take adequate breaks and operate overtime just when approved. Inconsistencies in these categories can result in costs and even penalties for violating labor laws. |
| Goal 3 Increase Employee Turnouts | When assigned mobile staff fail to report to work, mobile workers' schedule management tools make finding a substitute much easier. Helps to manage employee turnouts when demand fluctuates and personnel demand rises or falls. |
| Goal 4 Maximize Employee Satisfaction | An adequate system will enable your staff to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Your team is more likely to do better and continue with your company if they have a supportive workplace. |
| Goal 5 Boost Profit | By enhancing individual employee effectiveness, efficient shift planning boosts the company's bottom line. Mobile workforce scheduling software assists your business's executives to make realistic revenue and spending forecasts. |
Basic Features & Functionality
Most staff scheduling software has a similar set of critical functions that achieve the same primary duties. Some packages will include more advanced forms of these features that can assist you in other aspects of your company. While most programs have comparable functionality, you must consider the advantages and disadvantages of each framework. There are a few crucial features to look for when it comes to software.
| Shift Management | The main reason you're searching for mobile scheduling solutions is to manage your scheduling. This feature simplifies creating schedules while removing the element of uncertainty. You can use the real-time mobile staff availability function to create timetables free of overlaps and disputes. Some systems will generate calendars automatically, taking into account all relevant criteria such as budget and worker preferences. |
|---|---|
| Workforce Management | Mobile workforce management is a critical function that aggregates all necessary employee data to speed up scheduling. When designing the scheduling process, a viable solution will provide access to resources like a staff roster, staff database, sites list, cross-referencing functions and an individual availability repository. |
| Schedule Management | All efficient workforce management devices can detect open shifts for successful shift scheduling. This capacity reduces the amount of time it takes to complete shift tasks. Sophisticated features link personnel with relevant jobs orderly, delegating assignments based on an employee's strengths. Some systems can even identify difficulties and send you notifications when they do. |
| Work Time Management | After you've completed the time-consuming effort of creating a timetable, you'll want to make sure all remote employees arrive on time. This is where time management comes in handy. Time management includes time monitoring, overtime monitoring and blackout days. Improved versions include features such as biometrics for capturing staff time punches. |
| Absence Tracking | Managing mobile employee absences is as vital as regulating working hours. However, mobile workforce scheduling software can do more than supervise no-shows and call-outs. Apart from recording leave requests, absence monitoring allows you to plan for instances when numerous workers are on leave. You can strategically build your schedule coverage if you have all of your absence data in one organized location. |
| Supervision of Labor Law Adherence | It can be challenging to keep up with the changing environment of labor laws for remote workers, which is where mobile workforce scheduling apps come in. The most advanced mobile staff scheduling software offers reliable control procedures to ensure adherence with state and federal labor standards, such as overtime regulations and early notice of schedule changes. |
| Mobile Workforce Profile | If you have a sizable remote crew, the mobile workforce profile function might help you organize workers' personal information. You can leverage workforce data, such as contact details, licenses, qualifications, documentation, credentials, expiry dates and job history, to manage workforce scheduling. It also makes it easier to match assignments to experts and ensure safety. |
Advanced Features & Functionality
You've finally found a way to use mobile workforce scheduling software to make creating schedules easier. Any abilities that aid with that work, in particular, will be essential. Nevertheless, depending on the system you pick, you may have access to additional services that might support you with other tasks and mobile employee scheduling.
| Expense & Budget Estimation | Schedule design affects various other elements of the organization, particularly payroll. Your mobile employees' salary is precisely proportional to the number of hours they work. Having some financial functions built into your mobile workforce scheduling software, such as the ability to export pertinent payroll data, is a plus. Many mobile workforce scheduling apps provide information about remote employees' wages according to the number of hours worked. This functionality will save management time by allowing you to handle payroll more quickly. |
|---|---|
| Self-service | Self-service is an integrated feature that helps include your employees in the schedule building process. A user-friendly and accessible solution will allow employees to log in and check their punches and leave status. Self-service technologies allow your mobile workforce greater control over their schedules, so they'll be comfortable with the routine, knowing that they worked to create it. |
| Real-time Employee Collaboration | Direct communication among mobile teams and management ensures that employees are held liable for all tasks and eliminates communication barriers, resulting in a more effective workflow. For efficient communication with mobile workers, you'll need a solid platform. Avoid unstructured means such as SMS and Facebook messaging, reducing miscommunication and disagreement. |
| Integration With Current HCM Systems | Maintaining and updating a massive amount of data is part of managing a hybrid team working from a diverse location. Also, sophisticated mobile workforce scheduling applications integrate enterprise systems like budgeting applications, payroll software, resource planning capabilities, or personnel management tools to expedite work procedures such as data input and invoicing. |
Upcoming Trends
A well-planned work schedule ensures that operations function smoothly and cost-effectively while increasing long-term profitability. Companies are increasingly dependent on efficient scheduling tools for their remote workers to save time and boost productivity.
Although some trends mentioned below already come standard with mobile workforce management software, we listed them due to their continual improvement.
Below are the most recent staff scheduling developments to keep a close eye on.
Mobile Optimization
According to Reviews.org’s Proprietary Cell Phone Usage Survey, on average, Americans check their phones 344 times per day.
This demonstrates how reliant individuals are on their cell phones in their daily lives. After all, this item performs a variety of roles and objectives. As a result, there is a growing demand for appointment management solutions embedded into mobile systems. Appointment booking sites, for example, might create a sense of freedom because they are readily available via web browsers that are already common on smartphones.
Almost every form of software is currently moving into mobile optimization to improve ease and availability for its users. In this scenario, appointment scheduling tools are not far off.
Self-service
Using modern scheduling software, employees may examine their calendars, identify open shifts, log in and out, and trade schedules with coworkers. Allowing such privileges reduces your time and effort while giving your staff a greater sense of control over their shifts.
Self-service functionality is already a common feature of mobile workforce scheduling platforms. However, vendors continue to improve and expand these modules as far as UX and capabilities go.
Schedule Forecasting
Mobile employees, as well as managers and company owners, benefit from schedule forecasts. For starters, you won't require on-call personnel ready to work in the case of an unexpected mobile employee shortage. Predictions allow you to assign the ideal number of employees to specific days without anyone being on call.
Additionally, schedule predictions should allow for timetable modifications if managers want to add workers to last-minute schedules, which your employees would enjoy.
Advanced Communication
Communication is critical for firms with daily shifts that are continuously changing. It is vital to reach employees from any location and any device.
Smaller businesses understand how tough it is to interact with staff over the phone or email. A prominent trend that many company owners are embracing is a highly secure online scheduling system with real-time communications.
Integration
High demand exists for programs that can be readily incorporated into and synced with systems. Company owners will need portals that can communicate with one another and use simple technology to integrate into existing operations. Integrations improve your business while also streamlining specific operating procedures.
While certain integrative capabilities are already available for mobile workforce scheduling applications, look out for increasingly diverse integrations with these systems.
AI Assistance
For optimizing schedules for mobile employees, businesses will require an intelligent approach to process vast volumes of data instantaneously while also considering the enormous range of parameters involved. This capability makes mobile workforce scheduling easier while making the best plans depending on shift time, project importance and leave requests.
WFM powered by AI analyzes past and real-time operational metrics to fit mobile labor schedules into your company's requirements.
Software Comparison
Once you've started your hunt, your objective is to find the best solution for your scheduling needs. You'll have to figure out what you need from a service and reconcile that with the features that each system allows. There'll be a lot of product offerings to compare to figure out which one will function best for your company.
It would be best to think about which software will work best for your company. While this might be a time-consuming task with numerous details to consider, it does not have to be complicated. There is lots of assistance available to help you break things down. Reach out to receive advice from our experts.
Cost & Pricing Considerations
When looking for the perfect software for your organization, the cost is an important issue to consider. Mobile workforce scheduling software mostly follows either of the two strategies:
Subscription-based or Software-as-a-Service
This technique costs you a regular price based on the staff number. Many businesses like this approach since they can access from any device, regardless of location, given you have internet access and the proper login credentials.
This deployment technique does not necessitate complicated software setups or manual data backups. Some services require a nominal monthly cost, while others provide annual subscription plans to cover a specific number of users.
Even though there might be no long-term responsibilities, some providers may need you to notify them beforehand if you want to stop using their services.
Multi-tier packages with larger staff bases, high-end services, or both are common in subscription-based structures.
If you already have your mind on a particular solution, look for a free trial, which most vendors provide. Trials are an excellent method to see if the product's features and functions are right for your business before incorporating them into your operating budget. If you don't need to persist with the package or subscription, check if the provider requires early notification to cancel.
Perpetual License
This plan asks you to pay a one-time fee to use your preferred employee scheduling software indefinitely. On-premise solutions typically involve a significant initial investment and ongoing maintenance, assistance and upgrade costs.
The Most Popular Mobile Workforce Scheduling Software
Workforce management is a burgeoning sector, and WFM software options abound on the market. It can be challenging to choose a single product from a constantly changing range of possibilities. However, finding a system that meets your needs while staying under your budget is critical. According to our expert team, the following are some of the popular workforce management systems.
Note: These are a few popular WFM applications and may not specifically cater to mobile workforce scheduling.
Oracle HCM Cloud
Oracle HCM Cloud is a collection of software that helps businesses develop and implement a modern diverse workforce and employee engagement. Recruitment and selection, talent acquisition, resource planning and AI skills are among the modules available.
Managers have access to a labor directory, staff profiles and expertise information, time tracking, policy execution, and working experience and ability alignment through these packages, which help integrate human resources operations backed by local standards. It also allows managers to develop a talented candidate pool, train and retain excellent hires, and implement employee engagement strategies.
A snapshot of Oracle HCM Cloud’s employee management module’s dashboard.
Dayforce
Dayforce is a cloud-based, comprehensive HRMS that incorporates all main HR aspects. This tool may assist organizations in managing all areas of the employment cycle. Professional services, tax filing and standardized implementation strategies are available through Dayforce Activate.
A snapshot of Dayforce’s dashboard that helps in workforce management automation.
ADP Workforce Now
ADP Workforce Now is a cloud-based software for maintaining attendance management, payroll processing, benefits administration and other HR operations. It enables businesses to handle the intricacies of employee life cycle management effectively. It reduces human entry glitches by allowing data to be synchronized across departments using a single, flexible database.
It has tiers of security protection, including physical safety, intelligence detection, fraud defense and other techniques.
Monitor employee details, including reports, statuses and regular pay rates using ADP Workforce Now.
UKG Dimensions
UKG Dimensions automates essential forecasting, budgeting, payroll, compensation administration and recordkeeping procedures. It streamlines crucial operations through digitization, a mobile application and artificial intelligence. Some of the critical functions are statistics, data analysis, talent recruiting and performance evaluation.
UKG’s scheduling tool helps in streamlining employee schedules.
Infor Workforce Management
Infor Workforce Management assists companies in ensuring regulatory and legal adherence, lowering labor expenses, and improving employee performance.
It helps authorities track attendance records, create schedules and gain insight into company performance. Managers can use the solution to streamline basic HR operations and supervise all teammates from a single dashboard.
Infor keeps attendance records and designs work schedules.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Use these questions as a starting point for internal conversations:
- What issues do we need the mobile workforce scheduling software to address?
- Which attributes are critical to my company's success?
- Which implementation technique is most likely to succeed?
- How many people or locations will use the mobile workforce scheduling software?
- Which model is more cost-effective in light of the subscriber numbers?
Questions to Ask Vendors
Use these questions as a starting point for conversations with vendors:
About the Software
- Is the platform mobile-friendly?
- Is it possible to integrate it with our current applications? What other third-party modules does it work with?
- What adjustments are possible, and how much do they cost?
- Does your product provide AI assistance?
- Does the system help you make better scheduling decisions faster?
About the Vendor
- What's your pricing structure?
- What is the frequency with which you upgrade your system security?
- Do you put money into software upgrades?
- What kind of training and education can you provide?
- How do you introduce new technology trends into your innovation strategy?
In Conclusion
Carefully pick mobile workforce scheduling software to create and track mobile employee schedules seamlessly. The goal is to remove uncertainty while providing order to your office by avoiding frequent scheduling blunders that inhibit business operations. Standardizing processes will guarantee that your company succeeds with a satisfied workforce.
Before looking for software, generate a checklist of your WFM requirements and specifications. This will help you focus your search. This article is an excellent place to start for clients looking for the best staff scheduling tool for their organization.
Narrow Down Your Solution Options Easily
closeApplying filters...
Search by what Product or Type or Software are you looking for