From keeping in touch when they’re out on the road to ensuring they can get immediate help when they need it – lone worker safety is not always straightforward.
Ensuring the safety of employees who work alone presents unique challenges. From maintaining communication when they’re out in the field to providing immediate support in emergencies, implementing a lone worker safety solution isn’t always simple.
Below, we break down the most common safety challenges businesses face and how effective lone worker safety solutions can help mitigate the hazards of lone working.
Challenge 1: My lone workers keep forgetting to check-in
Manual safety measures like buddy systems, diaries, and check-in calls to ensure your lone workers are safe can be unreliable and leave employees vulnerable to harm.
Whilst having a manual system is better than having nothing at all, these types of safety measures can be flawed. They put the onus on the employee to remember to update their diary and make a check-in call. In reality, people are busy, appointments change and calls get forgotten.
Manual systems can also be flawed from an administrative perspective. They require an extremely robust set of procedures to be followed at a team level. For example, who monitors that diaries are updated? Who records that check-in calls are made? Is there a dedicated person who is responsible for these tasks? Do buddies take their role seriously – or would they assume their colleague was just busy if they didn’t call when expected? Plus, if an employee does go missing, manual systems rely on retrospective information – meaning all you have to go on is where they were supposed to be.
It’s these types of unknowns – and the huge capacity of human error – that mean buddy systems and check-in calls are now viewed as being of a lower standard in terms of health and safety provision.
Solution: Lone worker solutions address many of the weaknesses of manual check-in systems
Advanced lone worker safety solutions take the guesswork and human error out of the process. With features like real-time location tracking, automated check-ins, and emergency alerts, you can ensure employees are always protected—and you can verify their safety status at any time.
StaySafe, EcoOnline’s Lone Worker Safety Solution, is a mobile app with a connected cloud-based monitoring hub. It lets employers track employee locations in real time, and lone workers can trigger alerts instantly in the event of an emergency. If a check-in is missed, the system notifies a monitor immediately, allowing for swift escalation.
Professional monitoring partners can also be integrated, offloading the responsibility from internal teams and providing 24/7 peace of mind.
Challenge 2: My staff aren’t using their lone worker devices
When staff are issued with safety devices and they don’t use them, it not only leaves staff unprotected, but it’s also a significant waste of investment.
A common type of lone worker device is an ID card worn on a lanyard or clothing that acts as a panic button in an emergency. However, many organizations have reported that staff aren’t using them (leaving them uncharged, or in their bag or car).
Of course, this is worse than not having anything in place at all. Manual systems for checking staff safety would have been replaced by a device, which in turn isn’t being worn, or is left uncharged in the office or car. On paper you have ‘done the right thing’ but in reality, staff are left more vulnerable than before.
Solution: Embed staff behavior and make usage visible
To protect your team and maximize ROI, you need visibility into who is using your lone worker safety solution and when. Cloud-based platforms like StaySafe offer advanced reporting tools that show user activity in real time.
Dashboards and reports allow safety managers to monitor compliance and provide targeted follow-up. In-app training ensures new users understand how to operate the app from the get-go. And if issues arise, support is readily available via phone, chat, or email.
Challenge 3: My staff work in low-signal areas
A major concern for many organizations is the reliability of safety systems in remote or low-signal environments. What happens if an employee can’t connect when they need help?
Solution: StaySafe provides 16% more coverage than other solutions
When low signal mode is active, the app only needs a single bar of signal to maintain communications with the monitoring hub. In addition, missed check-in alerts still signal in the Hub even if the employee has lost signal coverage completely.
The StaySafe app seamlessly switches between all available connections to offer the very best level of connectivity and protection to your lone working employees.
High-speed mobile data and Wi-Fi will always be the StaySafe app’s preferred connection, but in areas where connectivity is limited, Low Signal Mode is automatically activated. While in Low Signal Mode, session communications will continue to be sent to the Hub via SMS. Alerts and session functions will continue to operate as usual, with location data updating if an alert is triggered.
Data is the first connection the StaySafe app attempts to make, but in areas where a signal cannot be made, low signal mode is automatically activated. While in low signal mode, session communications will continue to be sent to the Hub via SMS. Alerts and session functions will continue to operate as usual, with location data updating if an alert is triggered.
Session Expiry and Missed Check-In alerts do not require connectivity. This means that as long as the employee begins a session while connected, alerts will be sent if they fail to check-in. This provides a no-cost solution when the signal is down.
Low signal mode means that staff members who work in hospitals or other buildings with low signal or those who attend patients’ homes in rural or remote areas can still be protected.
For very remote workers who operate in areas with no cellular signal at all, StaySafe can be connected via Bluetooth to a Garmin satellite device which then provides users with 100% global connectivity.
Challenge 4: My lone-worker solution isn’t providing value for money
Another common issue when it comes to lone-worker safety solutions is a lack of value for money. Businesses can find that once they have signed a contract for a solution, they receive little to no support. The result is poor uptake of the solution and low ROI.
Solution: Comprehensive onboarding and end-to-end support
The purchase of a lone worker safety solution should include a high-level of wrap-around service, taking you from the initial launch and onboarding through to contract renewal. In between, support should be on hand and regular catch-ups provided to ensure that you are still getting the maximum benefit from the solution.
At EcoOnline we have a dedicated team who work with you to ensure that you get the most from your investment in our Lone Worker Solution.
Our clients benefit from a comprehensive onboarding and support service from the moment you begin working with us. This includes a dedicated Account Manager who will work with you to configure your Hub settings, through to interactive training and multiple support channels.
For example, one of our Municipality clients has achieved excellent results through our new onboarding and training process. We have worked closely with them to identify unengaged users and provide training, including our in-app training, emails, video content and tutorials, online drop-in sessions and user guides. This program of engagement and training has resulted in the number of active users increasing by an impressive 137.5% and the average number of lone working sessions run by their employees rising from an average of 600 to 1530 per month.
Re-engagement is also important. If someone hasn’t logged in to the solution for a while, it is imperative that this is flagged and addressed. This can be done through access to dashboards and usage reports, helping employers to quickly identify and rectify any issues before they become embedded behaviors.
Our customers also receive scheduled reports which enable managers to identify which members of their team are not using the app and follow up with them. Our Account Managers also have regular calls with clients to help identify any areas of improvement, such as gaps in staff training or high numbers of false alarms.
In addition, within the StaySafe monitoring hub, inactive users and users who haven’t completed their training are also sent a series of re-engagement emails – similar to the emails we use during the onboarding phase – to help get them back on track.
Likewise, if an employee has a problem with the solution, access to a dedicated support function is important so that issues can be resolved quickly – whether that is a forgotten password or trouble navigating the system. The Customer Success Team can be contacted with any queries via webchat, email and phone and currently holds a positive feedback rating of over 95%.
Protect your team from the hazards of lone working
Whether your employees work remotely, visit client homes, or are out in the field alone, the hazards of lone working are real – but avoidable. Choosing the right lone worker safety solution ensures they’re always connected, protected, and supported.
Looking for a more reliable and effective way to safeguard your lone workers? Discover how EcoOnline’s StaySafe app can help bring every employee home safely.
Looking for a better way to protect your lone workers? Click below to discover how EcoOnline’s lone worker safety software can help ensure every employee gets home safely.
