In November 2021, the number of people who quit their job reached an all-time high of 4.5 million, the most recorded since the data was tracked. This massive movement of people voluntarily leaving their jobs was eventually dubbed the “Great Resignation.”
In a market favoring job seekers, companies will need to step up to attract and retain the most highly-talented individuals. An increasingly popular way to do this has been to provide a smooth onboarding experience to ensure their first week in the new job is a success.
In many workplaces, new hires can spend weeks getting their computer, mobile devices and other workplace tools set up and ready to use. However, with the rising trend of mobile device as a service (MDaaS), it’s easier than ever to provide employees with a complete mobile solution before their first day. Instead of employees who are ineffectual the first week, they can start their first morning by immediately turning on their mobile devices and laptop, which have been pre-programmed with their information and with all the necessary programs and tools downloaded and begin work immediately. These small but important changes ensure the experience is stress free for both the employee and organization while also speeding up the employee’s ability to begin adding value. Reports indicate that the onboarding process for SMBs can cost businesses more than $40,000 collectively, before adding recruiting or training fees.
Overseeing mobility solutions for devices like smartphones, tablets and laptops for new and existing employees, particularly in the pandemic work environment, can create barriers for leadership and IT teams. With the proliferation both in the number and type of employee devices, IT teams can become overloaded with the growing amount of new device and helpdesk requests, not to mention additional daily activities like managing users’ data, activity and security.
It’s a key factor why mobile device as a service (MDaaS) is emerging as a new offering. Third-party mobility providers help to offload mobility management for businesses, from device staging and kitting, to replacement of broken or damaged devices, to managing cross-carrier access and pooling.
Similar to the growth of other “as-a-service” areas, these providers can help to eliminate organizational complexity, provide access to highly skilled mobility professionals and lower costs by offering monthly subscription services rather than costly infrastructure investments. As they mature and clients look for additional IT support, these companies have moved into new services, such as providing complete onboarding packages to new employees.
Should you consider mobility as a service? Here are a few questions:
What role does mobility play in your organization?
For example, if your business includes delivery or transporting goods, mobile devices can play a central role in gaining timely updates about employees’ location, status and challenges like unexpected traffic congestion that are impacting their work. MDaaS can help to provide the right level of connectivity for employees, no matter if they’re in the office, working remotely from home or on the road. Specific apps and tools for employees can also be pre-configured, so the device is ready to be used as soon as it’s turned on.
Do your organization use a variety of devices?
MDaaS providers have experience in handling complex setups, including navigating a multitude of carriers, platforms and data streams. If you use many types of devices within your organization, it may be more effective to utilize a provider rather than trying to train your IT staff on all of the devices used.
Does your organization handle time-sensitive issues?
Businesses such as emergency responders are dependent on working technology. Issues with mobile devices can result in a difference for employees, helping them gain critical minutes over waiting for in-house support. These providers may be able to send a new device overnight so business doesn’t have to stop when your devices do.
Mobility has been a lifeline helping businesses stay afloat during the pandemic and will continue to play a large role. As business operations have transformed during this time, mobility services have as well to help meet increasingly specialized and urgent needs. As mobile device as a service continues to emerge as a trend, organizations may find the best course forward includes outsourcing their mobility needs so they can focus on what’s most important: their core business.
