Check-in calls vs. check-in technology

Manual check-in calls are one of the most common methods used to monitor the safety of employees who work alone. Check-in calls are commonly scheduled at timed intervals throughout the day or before and after entering a work site.

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-in calls alone.

Typical challenges

Long response times

If an accident or incident occurs, an employee won’t be alerted until the time of check-in. This could be a couple of hours or even an entire working day depending on your check-in intervals. Locating the employee could then take several more hours if their exact location is not known. However, following an injury, the response is extremely time critical and an injury could be severely worsened by the time help arrives.

False alarms and complacency
Effective check-ins rely entirely on the lone worker remembering to check-in at the required times. A busy schedule or complacent attitude could cause them to forget or fail to check-in, creating a false alarm. False alarms can also be caused if an employee’s phone loses power and fails to warn their employer.

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 continually having to chase up employees who have simply forgotten.

False alarms are likely to waste time and resources spent trying to chase up and locate the employee while they may even prevent monitors from responding to a genuine missed check-in.

Disrupts employee productivity
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.

Our case study on TransGas is a good example of how this can impact employee productivity.

Disrupts client engagement
If a lone worker is carrying out client meetings or sessions, stopping to make a phone call will be distracting and can affect the quality of the service being provided to the client. If the meeting is sensitive in nature, this could be particularly troublesome as the client could be upset by the action.

Alternative options – StaySafe

Fortunately, there is a range of low cost, technology check-in solutions on the market today that address the challenges of manual check-ins. StaySafe offers an app which not only allows lone workers to check-in at the touch of a button, it also monitors their safety status in real-time and allows them to send a number of alerts if they are in need of immediate assistance.

How does StaySafe overcome the challenges of manual check-ins?

Response times
As well as missed check-in alerts, StaySafe offer a range of alert options such as panic, discreet panic and duress so that the monitor can be alerted as soon as an accident or incident occurs, without having to wait for a missed check-in. Beginning a session or sending an alert on the app, brings up a lone worker’s accurate GPS location so that locating them and responding to an alert is quick and effective

False alarms and complacency
StaySafe helps to tackle the issue of false alarms by sending audible reminders to the lone worker when they are required to check-in. If a missed check-in is triggered, the monitor will be alerted via email, text and optionally, via a phone call, reminding them to take action. This means they can get on with other tasks and will be alerted when they need to be.

StaySafe also sends a low battery alert to inform the monitor when the app users phone battery is about to run out. This way they can remind them to charge their phone and will be aware that a missed check-in may be falsely triggered.

Productivity
Not only is pressing a button to check-in quicker than making a phone call, but check-ins can also be performed at any time during the interval, resetting the clock. This means the lone worker can check-in at the most suitable time, for example, between meetings, during a break or when their work schedule is less busy.

StaySafe can also be paired with a wearable button that can be worn around the wrist, neck or attached to clothing and used to check-in quickly and without having to stop a job.

Engagement
Tapping a button on an app is much less intrusive than making a phone call during a one on one meeting. If, however, taking out a phone still seems distracting, StaySafe’s wearable button can be used to check-in discreetly.

If you are interested in switching from manual check-ins to StaySafe’s monitoring solution, get in contact today.