With 88% of organizations around the world moving to remote workforces because of the COVID-19 pandemic — and 74% planning to keep employees remote permanently — the need for mobile solutions for workforce management are more important than ever.

When it comes to workforce management, mobile tools make it easier for agents to manage their time while they’re commuting or off the clock. But, when work and home environments are one and the same, it might seem that mobile capabilities are less important.

The truth is: Our need for capabilities that are accessible through our mobile devices has less to do with environmental logistics and more to do with personal preference, usability and efficiency.

Delivering a Personalized Experience to Your Workforce

As much as we’re loath to admit, our phones are essential parts of our lives. The average American can spend over five hours a day on their phone, with younger users averaging almost six hours a day. For many Millennials and Generation Z, their devices are an integral part of their everyday lives. And, because these generations will make up 75% of the workforce by 2025, companies would be remiss to discount their preferences when it comes to empowering them as employees.

Building and maintaining an engaged and productive workforce can be a balancing act. You want to provide flexibility and self-governance, but also need to make sure agents adhere to schedules and remain compliant.

But employees can grow frustrated at what they think are obsolete processes if they don’t accommodate their needs. Just like your customers, your employees want options that better align to their personal preferences. This goes a long way in making employees feel like they’re being treated as a person — not a number.

The Challenges of Working From Home

As many of us have come to realize, moving the workplace to the home involves a new series of challenges. Not only do employees deal with work requirements and expectations, they must also take on new tasks like homeschooling children, home maintenance and administration, and performing everyday errands that are now more complicated during the pandemic.

Solutions that give agents flexibility are necessary to keep them efficient and productive. An agent who has to pick up groceries or adjust his schedule when an emergency occurs will benefit from a mobile capability that lets him request time off or communicate with a supervisor instantly. Likewise, getting notified of schedule changes or a new schedule on a device lets agents manage their time — not just for work but also for personal engagements and plans.

Putting the Power in Your Employees’ Hands

Our phones are vital to how we function each day. Having a centralized place to handle multiple areas of our lives helps our mental stability and allows us to stay on top of all our daily requirements. Work is a big part of that.

Allowing agents and contact center employees to manage their schedules and organize their lives through a mobile application is key. It cuts down on the time and effort needed to find a desktop to visualize or request changes on work hours. And it alleviates the digital and mental fatigue brought on from having to juggle separate systems.

It’s not just about reducing complexity in schedule management, it’s about empowering employees with the tools to own their time, make decisions for their plans and, ultimately, take charge of how they live their lives and balance their personal and work schedules.

Learn more about Genesys forecasting and scheduling capabilities. And check out how the Genesys Tempo™ app can help your agents keep track of their working hours.