Statistics don’t lie, and they’re telling a consistent story: mobile strategy is taking over the world. People spend over three hours a day shopping, engaging with brands, using apps, and researching products. And it’s not just consumers who rely on mobile devices to get the job done. Sixty percent of employees use mobile apps for work and 71% use mobile devices to access company information every week.
Companies seem to have gotten the message, and many are scrambling to jump on the mobile bandwagon with HR apps intended to boost employee engagement and productivity. But not all apps are created equal.
What Makes a Bad Mobile App?
Aside from apps that simply don’t work, bad mobile apps are those that don’t deliver a satisfactory user experience. In the HR arena, that usually means the app has been designed around HR processes rather than the user’s needs.
And that’s why you need a mobile-first strategy.
When you focus on the mobile experience first, you can build the app around specific use cases and create mobile-specific solutions. If you’re not building the app yourself, look for a vendor that takes this approach.
Mobile First HR? There’s an App for That
Many HRIS vendors have risen to the mobile app challenge by developing apps that give managers and employers access to information through their phones or tablets. In addition to these comprehensive solutions, numerous companies have entered the market with apps designed to perform a single specific function like onboarding or time and attendance. But in terms of potential mobile capabilities, we’ve only scratched the surface.
As employee behavior continues to shift toward mobile, here are five ways your HR department can capitalize on the trend:
- Recruiting—GlassDoor reports that 89% of job seekers believe mobile devices are important for job searching, and 45% use mobile devices to search for jobs every single day—yet, 90% of Fortune 500 companies do not support the ability to apply for a job via mobile. If you don’t have a mobile recruiting solution in place, it’s time to start planning.
- Time and Attendance—In addition to mobile clock in/clock out, some apps offer geofencing capabilities that will automatically clock an employee in when arriving to a particular location. This is especially helpful if employees work from multiple locations since the app will track not only the hours worked, but also the specific facility.
- Employee Self-Service—Give employees the ability to access their profile, pay information, vacation requests, retirement contributions, and more. Managers can track teams, manage goal completion, and take needed actions from the convenience of a smartphone while on the go.
- Analytics—Manage data and keep a close eye on trends with apps that monitor workforce performance, predictive analytics, voluntary quits, transfers, promotions, and other data insights.
- Onboarding—Onboarding apps engage new hires and give them a positive, branded experience designed to help them hit the ground running. They also facilitate training, track tasks and goal completion, promote communication, stimulate productivity, and help employees integrate into their new team.
As the workforce becomes increasingly mobile-oriented, a mobile-first strategy has the potential to keep your employees engaged, increase their productivity, and strengthen your employer brand.
So what’s the key to achieving these lofty goals? Look for companies that build their apps with the user experience in mind rather than simply tacking an app onto an existing process.
It’s all about the user.
