How to leverage technology to foster deskless collaboration

For a manager, supervisor, or leader, it is in itself a challenge to connect to, motivate, inspire, and bring together team members. This becomes especially difficult if you must do it from miles away.  

So, how do you, a manager sitting in headquarters offices, leverage technology to engage with on-the-field employees and foster a collaborative and unified working environment? To effectively foster deskless collaboration, companies may need to involve tools and methods to enable effective communication, information sharing, and teamwork among these workers. 

Deskless collaboration 

Deskless collaboration refers to the practice of enabling and facilitating communication, coordination, and teamwork among employees who do not work at traditional desks or office environments. These employees often work in roles that require them to be mobile, such as those in retail, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, and field services. 

Importance of deskless collaboration 

Collaboration between employees is essential, driving higher quality and productivity, sharing ideas and striving for innovation, more informed and balanced decisions, reducing process misalignments, maintaining agility in dynamic environments, increasing job satisfaction and employee engagement.  

• ICW reports that great communication and collaboration amongst employees leads to a 41% increase in customer satisfaction, 34% increase in product quality, 30% increase in improvements added to product development and 27% boost in sales.  

• Collaborative teams, especially ones with access to digital collaborative tools are 17% more satisfied with their workplace environment, to a study conducted by Deloitte.  

• Collaboration, as part of production planning, can reduce lead time by up to 66% in manufacturing, as reported by the Aberdeen Group. 

• Collaborative manufacturing practices are believed to have the potential to enable cost savings of up to 20% according to research by McKinsey. 
  
  

Challenges faced in deskless collaboration 

These stats highlight the importance of collaboration on the processes, profitability, and overall success of an organization. But collaboration in general, and especially deskless collaboration faces multiples challenges, such as: 

1. Communication Barriers: Difficulty in communicating with coworkers or accessing important information in real-time, especially when lacking access to digital communications channels such as email or internal messaging systems.
2. Information sharing: Deskless workers may face challenges in accessing shared documents, training materials, or company announcements, which can impede their ability to stay informed and perform their duties effectively.
3. Isolation and Engagement: Deskless workers may feel disconnected from the rest of the team or organization, leading to lower engagement levels and a lack of motivation.
4. Task Coordination: Assigning tasks and tracking progress for deskless workers can be challenging without real-time visibility into their availability and location. 
5. Consistency in Processes: Ensuring uniformity in procedures and standards across different locations and roles can be a challenge without face-to-face oversight. 

Facilitating deskless collaboration 

Some key aspects to facilitate deskless collaboration rely on digital tools and technologies to ensure these workers can stay connected and productive despite being physically dispersed or constantly on the move. 

Mobile Communication: Deskless collaboration relies heavily on mobile communication tools such as smartphones and tablets. These devices enable deskless workers to stay connected with their teams, access important information, and communicate in real-time, regardless of their location. 

Digital Collaboration Platforms: Deskless workers often use digital collaboration platforms and apps designed for mobile use. These platforms facilitate tasks such as messaging, file sharing, task management, and scheduling, allowing deskless teams to collaborate efficiently and effectively. 

Remote Training and Development: Deskless collaboration includes methods for training and developing skills among remote workers. This might involve mobile-friendly training modules, instructional videos, or virtual classrooms that allow deskless workers to learn new skills at their own pace. 

Real-Time Updates and Alerts: Deskless workers need to receive real-time updates, alerts, and notifications about changes in schedules, tasks, or safety protocols. Mobile apps and push notifications help ensure that important information reaches deskless workers promptly. 

Task Assignment and Tracking: Deskless collaboration tools often include features for assigning tasks, tracking progress, and managing workflows. This helps managers and team leaders coordinate work assignments and monitor the status of projects, even when team members are dispersed across different locations. 

Safety and Compliance: Collaboration platforms for deskless workers may include features to ensure compliance with safety regulations and company policies. For example, workers might use mobile apps to report safety hazards, access safety protocols, or receive safety training. 

Feedback and Recognition: Deskless collaboration involves providing feedback and recognition to remote workers. This might include performance reviews, acknowledgments for completing tasks, or opportunities for peer recognition through social features in collaboration platforms. 

Overall, to leverage the many benefits, for both the company, but also for the employees, deskless collaboration needs to overcome the challenges of working outside a traditional office environment by providing deskless employees with the tools, information, and support they need to collaborate effectively with their teams and contribute to the success of their organizations. Addressing the challenges faced in deskless collaboration requires a strategic approach, focusing and investing in robust technological solutions, effective training programs, and strong organizational support to create a cohesive and collaborative environment for deskless workers.