Often Forgotten “Deskless Workers” Benefit from Digital Signage
Eighty percent of the global workforce doesn’t sit at a desk to do their jobs. According to research by Deskless Workforce, that’s a staggering 2.7 billion workers who have historically suffered without access to the same technologies (including email) as the rest of the workforce. This largely forgotten group are from essential sectors, like healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.
Yet, 70% want access to more technology. They understand its importance and believe their work would benefit. In particular, they crave additional technology to support communications, operations and logistics, onboarding and training.
The good news is those types of technologies already exist today – and many organizations already have them deployed. They just may not have considered the many ways a technology can be leveraged to benefit their deskless workers.
Take digital signage for example. Most enterprises have some sort of digital signage deployed. They may have screens mounted in lobbies or welcome areas, or in breakrooms and waiting areas, or placed strategically throughout a store, facility or building. Today’s small profile screens can even be placed over timeclocks and on counters near cash registers.
Implementing innovative solutions, like Hughes MediaTraining, can expand digital signage capabilities, turning signage into a valuable tool for deskless workers. In fact, the Hughes device, only 7”x7”, takes up little space and stores hundreds of hours of viewing content that can be displayed on any or all screens at a location.
Imagine trying to roll out a new inventory process for shelf stocking. It’s easy to demonstrate using video. However, when workers are forced to watch the video on a desktop computer, training happens only one person at a time. And most states forbid asking employees to use their personal mobile devices to access company materials. With Hughes MediaTraining, an entire team can view a video all at the same time on a single large screen, enabling a manager to debrief afterwards and answer questions. Opportunities to learn together can also improve employee engagement and morale.
But training isn’t the only possibility. The MediaTraining solution can store and deliver any type of on-demand content, including photos, videos, slides, animations and even live one-way broadcasts. A corporate HR or marketing team can develop and distribute content as easily as the local staff and managers. That means a town hall meeting with executive leadership can be pushed out the same afternoon as photos from the Community Park Clean-up Day.
Paired with Hughes Digital Signage, the MediaTraining device can utilize existing SmartTVs, whether they are customer-facing screens or those placed in back-office areas. Using a cloud-based Content Management System, content can be scheduled and played at certain times of the day and by screen location. Screens mounted throughout a store can feature product promotions that target customers during store hours, while sales training tips play for staff after hours. Deskless employees can also choose to view content on demand and at their convenience, using a remote control and interactive menu to browse and select programming. The ability to leverage screens for multiple purposes works particularly well for businesses with small footprints that may lack a breakroom or dedicated staff area.
With solutions like MediaTraining, enterprises with large populations of workers who don’t sit at desks can ensure technology becomes as important to supporting this part of their workforce as it is to the rest of their employees.
Read a case study of how one hotel deployed video-on-demand to train staff on changing health protocols.