{"id":66417,"date":"2024-07-22T00:32:17","date_gmt":"2024-07-22T00:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecoonline.com\/check-in-vs-tech-2\/"},"modified":"2025-04-11T12:29:56","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T12:29:56","slug":"check-in-vs-tech-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecoonline.com\/en-us\/blog\/check-in-vs-tech\/","title":{"rendered":"Check calls vs. check-in technology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Manual check calls are one of the most common methods used to monitor the safety of employees who work alone. Check calls are commonly scheduled at timed intervals throughout the day or before and after entering a work site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While manual check-ins are perceived to be low cost and low resource, there are a number of challenges that arise when relying on check calls alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typical challenges of check calls<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Long response times<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If an accident or incident occurs, an employee won\u2019t be alerted until the time of check-in. This could be a couple of hours or even an entire working day depending on check-in intervals. Locating the employee could then take several more hours if their exact location is not known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following an injury, response times are time-critical and an injury could be severely worsened by the time an employee is finally located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False alarms and complacency<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Effective check-ins rely entirely on the lone worker remembering and carrying out check-ins at the required times. A busy schedule or complacent attitude could cause them to forget or fail to check in, causing a false alarm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is then up to the monitor to follow up on a missed check-in but they too could easily forget or become complacent, particularly if they are used to receiving false alerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False alarms can also easily be caused if an employee\u2019s phone loses power. Unless they have remembered to call or text their employer to warn them, this will lead to false alarms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

False alarms are likely to cause time and resources to be wasted trying to chase up and locate the employee or could even prevent monitors from responding to a genuine alarm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lowers productivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Stopping work to make a phone call can be time-consuming and distract from the work at hand. For the supervisor, monitoring a group of lone workers and calling each one back if they miss a call is also incredibly time-consuming and will cost the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lowers engagement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If a lone worker is carrying out client meetings or sessions, stopping the meeting to make a phone call will be distracting and can affect the quality of the service for the client. If the meeting is sensitive in nature, this could be particularly troublesome as the client could be upset by the action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative options<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there is a range of low-cost, technology-based check-in solutions on the market today that address the challenges of manual check-ins. Lone Worker App not only allows lone workers to check in at the touch of a button but monitors their safety status in real-time and allows them to send a number of alerts if they are in need of immediate assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does StaySafe overcome the challenges of manual check-ins?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Response times<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n