Employee GPS tracking is a powerful tool for companies that operate delivery services, logistics, sales, or field service businesses. When implemented responsibly, it can reduce labor disputes, ensure accurate mileage reimbursements, and enhance productivity.
However, it can be challenging for small business owners to monitor their remote employees without infringing on their privacy.
Location Tracking
Businesses of all sizes and industries are continually seeking innovative ways to optimize operations, improve efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. One of the most powerful tools available to companies is GPS tracking, which has revolutionized the way businesses manage their operations and workforce. However, it’s important to understand the limitations and risks of using this technology, including privacy concerns.
For example, it’s important to develop and implement clear policies that outline the use of GPS tracking devices within the company. It’s also essential to educate employees about how the system works, and to clearly explain what data is collected and used for. This will help to reduce miscommunication and confusion, as well as increase employee comfort level with the technology.
Some employees may take offense to the idea of being tracked, believing that it’s an invasion of their privacy. This can have a negative impact on morale, which is why it’s important for organizations to be transparent with employees about the purpose of the tracking system and what information will be collected and used.
Using an employee GPS tracker allows businesses to know exactly where their field and mobile employees are at all times, which can help them keep track of the locations of items or equipment that they need to pick up. This helps businesses improve inventory control, reduce costs, and maximize productivity. It also helps retail businesses improve supply chain management and customer satisfaction by providing accurate delivery ETAs.
Real-Time Alerts
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With Buddy Punch, you get a full suite of workforce management tools including GPS location tracking and geofencing. This is especially useful for businesses that operate in different sites (e.g. landscaping or door-to-door sales) and require employees to hop between them on a regular basis. Using the app, managers can monitor employee locations in real time and set up work rules based on places, people and times. They’ll also receive alerts if the team members arrive/depart, exceed delays or deviate from their scheduled locations.
Some medical alert systems use GPS to help dispatch responders if the wearer experiences an emergency. This feature helps them quickly pinpoint the wearer’s location and connect them with trained monitoring center agents.
GPS is used in combination with other technologies in some medical alert systems to increase accuracy. For example, cellular signals and Wi-Fi can also provide more precise locations. https://maps.app.goo.gl/MHxvtbUCTkeCeFN28 In addition, some GPS devices allow wearers to customize their own location settings and alerts.
Regardless of the device your team uses, you can make better decisions and improve overall efficiency with accurate data in real-time. In turn, this can save you money on fuel costs or other business expenses. Be transparent with your team members about how you’ll be leveraging their GPS data to avoid confusion and privacy concerns. Some people may not want to be tracked, and this can lead to low morale.
Reporting
GPS telematics software can help you gain insights into the performance of your employees in the field. You can monitor their real arrival times, see when they’re stuck in traffic or taking unnecessary detours for personal errands and more. This can help you make adjustments to improve overall fleet utilization and productivity.
A good employee monitoring system should have a user-friendly dashboard that lets you view all of your team’s activities. You should also be clear about how the data you collect from your GPS tracking solution will be used, and ensure that it is only for business-related purposes. Otherwise, it may affect your staff’s morale and could lead to trust issues.
For lone workers, a GPS monitoring system that offers centralized alert management and man-down protection will allow you to set up automated welfare check-ins and other features to keep your team safe. SHEQSY by SafetyCulture? is a good example of an employee tracking app with this capability, as well as other tools that are specifically geared toward lone worker safety.
Another good option is AllGeo?, which focuses on field businesses and includes many standard GPS tracking options alongside other tools to help you manage your team’s schedules, projects, mileage reports and more. You can even use it to calculate your field employees’ timesheets and clock in/out remotely to get a better handle on what they’re doing while on the job.
Privacy
Today’s technology-infused workplace allows employers unprecedented access to employees, from average clock-in/clock-out times and emailing habits to location tracking. However, this new level of monitoring can raise ethical and privacy concerns if not handled responsibly.
Employees may expect some kinds of monitoring, such as tracked internet usage on a company computer or phone, but are likely to feel violated by more invasive tracking on their personal phones during non-work hours and offsite meetings. Those feelings often prompt legal action. Employers need to understand the risks and follow best practices to avoid legal issues with GPS tracking of employees.
Start with a well-defined policy that clearly states the business reasons for using GPS tracking, when and how employees can expect to be monitored, and how the company will use and safeguard the data collected. Then communicate this policy to all employees and ask them to sign off on it, ensuring that they understand it.
It’s also important to only monitor employees while they are on company business. Any other monitoring violates federal laws such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Stored Communication Act (SCA), which protect the privacy of stored information including employee locations. These laws should be consulted when setting up policies and considering the legal implications of GPS tracking. This will help ensure that employees are notified of the legality and purpose of their employer’s monitoring and can make informed decisions about disabling the GPS feature on their personal devices.
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