An HRMS, also known as a Human Resource Management System is the ultimate combination of Information Technology and Human Resources. While implementing a robust HRMS into our organization an HR manager usually focuses on a white-collar workforce rather than a blue-collar workforce. And the focus persists for a good reason. Most of the time, the HR managers and their teams focus on retaining millennials and incorporating strategies to attract Gen Z.
In this process, largest segment of the workforce is highly overlooked. Yes! We are talking about blue/grey collar workers. These are frontline workforce in your company, including retail sales, field sales, customer support, tele callers, delivery and warehousing, construction workers, plumbers, and drivers, who are semi-skilled but with graduate or 12th pass education.
With more than 450 million blue/grey collar workforce, India is transitioning into an industrialized economy. There will be a persistent surge in demand for blue/grey collar workers in various sectors, especially in retail, eCommerce, and logistics.
The truth is when it comes to technology, it just becomes an important aspect for blue/grey –collar employees. Because unlike your white-collar employees, blue/grey collar employees are not that tech-savvy. So, they need some special kind of software for their HRMS needs that is more user friendly, easy to understand, accessible in field and would support regional Indian languages. That is where a mobile-first workforce management software like WorQ comes into the picture.
Here are the top 3 reasons why a traditional HRMS doesn’t work for your blue/grey collar workers.
Managing attendance and shifts
Managing the daily attendance and shift rostering of blue/grey collar employees can be a daunting task for any HR Manager. Because unlike white-collar employees this workforce often works from multiple remote locations. That is why it can become a major challenge for any organization as attendance management and shift rosters are required to calculate payments and minimize employee downtime. The traditional HRMS solutions for white-collar employees are mostly unsuitable for the attendance management and shift rostering of blue/grey collar employees.
WorQ AI-powered attendance has facial recognition and real-time tracking using GPS where employees can mark attendance from web, mobile & contactless kiosks. An HR manager can set attendance rules as per their convenience for late coming, break, and absence management. The facial recognition feature easily captures a selfie along with other attendance data to avoid false punches and to ensure you’re meeting standards.
Similarly, WorQ’s shift roster feature can be helpful if an HR manager wants to Schedule shifts for thousands of employees across locations in seconds. He or she can set up automatic shift rotations, and temporary shifts to reduce manual intervention. With the WorQ app, they will get instant notification for staff and quick info on shift dropouts so that they can easily assign other staff within the time.
Employee engagement and retention
Developing a sense of positive culture in an office is much easier than across different on-site blue/grey –collar employees. Blue/grey collar workers need flexible and intuitive digital platforms that meet their unique needs. But because of their distinctive responsibilities and work location, traditional desktop HRMS tools for their use just don’t work for them. WorQ’s employee engagement programs like mood surveys, real-time announcements, and the exclusive employee benefit program – DASH can increase employee engagement and helps in building a positive company culture. And when an employee is getting value, the chances of retention becomes high. Because a company that focuses on building an inclusive culture finds it easy to attract and retain talent.
Managing the skill gap and upskilling
Training blue/grey collar employees is indeed a step towards creating societal impact. Educational bias is dominant in India and rarely do these workforces get opportunities for upskilling and career growth. Structured training offered by companies will not only help them to diversify their skill sets but also boost their productivity. Digital learning & development programs for the blue/grey collar segment are expected to increase from 20% in 2020 to 30-60% in the next 3 to 5 years.
According to the World Economic Forum, 50% of all employees will need reskilling by 2025. Thus, businesses must invest in upskilling now to grow better. In order to meet the needs of a multigenerational remote & hybrid workforce, employees need proper programs. These activities can help HR managers in the retention, motivation, and empowerment of employees. Start upskilling your employees with a fully-featured integrated digital L&D platform- Grow for quick and engaging training delivered through WorQ. Tools like WorQ facilitates upskilling and engagement initiatives not only boost productivity but also can reduce the annualized attrition rate by 40%-50%.
Are you looking for a sustainable HRMS solution for your blue/grey collar employees?
Blue/grey collar employee management comes with an exceptional set of HR issues. However, keeping employees engaged, updated with skills, and appreciated can minimize many of these threats to your organization. Looking forward to improving your remote workforce productivity? Schedule a demo for free!
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