Manufacturers Can’t Afford to Ignore Operational Communication Technology in 2019

As Manufacturers begin planning their 2019 budgets, they will be focusing in part on implementing technology that will help their deskless employees better communicate with management and each other. Eighty-two percent of companies plan to increase spending on deskless technology in 2019, according to a new deskless workforce report issued by Emergence Capital. “ The Rise of the Deskless Workforce ” shows that companies will direct part of their spending to ensure they are connecting with employees in hopes of increasing productivity and keeping employees happy. With 94% of companies using mobile platforms such as phones and tablets to communicate with employees, according to the report, manufacturers lagging in engagement will risk losing employees to the competition or other industries.

“Technology is playing an important role in attracting and retaining employees,” said Connie Rheams, Beekeeper VP of Hospitality. “According to Deloitte, 43% percent of Millennials envision leaving their jobs within two years and only 28 percent seek to stay beyond five years. Gen Z has even less loyalty, with 61 percent saying they would leave within two years if given the choice. With unemployment at an all-time low – 4% across all industries as of June 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – employee retention needs to be top of mind. An additional dollar per hour or free daily lunch is proving to be enough of an incentive for hourly employees to leave one company and move to the next. The best way to retain non-desk employees is by communicating with them directly, in their own language, and through the mobile platforms they are most comfortable using. When workers are connected, it makes them feel part of the organization’s community, thereby making it difficult to take a job elsewhere due to relationships forged.”

Workforce Communication Technology: A Must in 2019
The best way manufacturers can engage their deskless employees and get them to embrace the company culture is to connect them digitally to the organization. Digitizing the workforce will help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes, allowing employees to stay in the loop regarding company news, updates and protocols. Within the manufacturing space in particular, it is important to be able to easily exchange crisis communications, onboard new hires, and keep existing employees motivated in order to achieve a safer and more productive workplace.

In the past year, Fortune 500 firms across the globe have adopted Beekeeper as their workforce communications platform. Named the Most Innovative Technology of 2018 by HTNG, the “ People’s Choice ” by HFTP, and ranked No. 59 on the SaaS 1000, Beekeeper has been busily increasing its user base this year by more than 500% and is currently being used in more than 137 countries worldwide.

Companies are flocking to Beekeeper because it:

• Engages employees at a basic level and gives them a voice.
• Rewards employees for doing something good.
• Creates loyalty and drives job retention.
• Makes employees feel a part of something important. 

Beekeeper is digitizing the non-desk workforce by connecting operational systems and communication channels within one secure, intuitive platform. The solution connects colleagues across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices and includes an intelligent analytics dashboard to help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes. Secure, automated, and relevant information is readily distributed, searchable, and measurable in one central hub for an efficient digitized workflow.

Statistically Speaking: Employee Engagement Matters

A report by Dale Carnegie shows that companies with engaged employees outperform those with a less engaged workforce by 202%. Beekeeper allows manufacturers to tackle the issue of low employee engagement and retention by giving users a way to stay informed and connected 24/7, while also allowing for healthy employee interactions and worker recognition initiatives that build a committed and close-knit culture.

“By giving employees a better understanding of the whole process, we hope to make them feel more engaged where they work, see the bigger picture of where they are, and feel like an important part of the whole process and connected to producing pork to feed people.” - Beth Holz, Communications Specialist for Seaboard Foods

“From an HR perspective, Beekeeper has enabled us to communicate with employees regarding open enrollment or other deadlines without filling up email inboxes. I’ve also loved seeing how managers and employees recognize and thank their team or an individual for going above-and-beyond for the company and for customers.” - Jeannie Bracken, Director, Human Resources for Dentsply Sirona, North America Endodontics

Overall, here’s why deskless workforce technology should be your next investment:

• 80% of the world’s workforce are non-desk workers
• 84% of the workforce has a personal mobile device
• 75% of employees use their personal mobile devices to communicate with co-workers

“A proven way to engage employees and get them to embrace a company's culture is to connect them digitally to the organization,” said Corey McCarthy, Beekeeper VP Global Marketing. “Manufacturers looking for ways to improve employee retention while boosting productivity and effectiveness should invest in employee engagement technology. Beekeeper is leading the way.”