Tactically this makes complete sense given that deskless workers do not sit in front of computers. But legally it could be problematic given the regulating many deskless employees. In essence, the same actions that improve the employee experience could also increase company compliance risks.

Most deskless workers in the United States are considered “hourly” or “non-exempt” workers. This means they are paid based on time worked and do not meet the U.S. government requirements. Hourly employees are subject to a to ensure they are paid fairly for their time. We are not lawyers and are not providing legal advice regarding how to interpret and respond to these regulations.* That said, the essence of these laws is if hourly employees spend time on a mobile phone doing work-related activities, then they should be paid for that time. While this may make sense on the surface, it can become complicated when one starts to consider issues related to tracking time spent doing work via a mobile phone while away from the workspace. How can an employer control wage costs when employees could potentially clock in at anytime from anywhere?

This dilemma places companies on a slippery slope of worker enablement versus compliance risk. Research and commonsense show the benefits of providing deskless workers mobile-enabled work solutions. Enabling them to do things like training, answer emails, schedule shifts, or enroll in benefits while in the field or outside their scheduled shifts can be enormously convenient for them. After all, this is how most salaried employees work, particularly since the rise of . Deskless employees benefit from and want access to mobile solutions. But doing the thing employees may want could create significant legal risks for the employer.

The following are a few ways we have seen companies handle this challenge. Note, we want to re-emphasize that we are not lawyers and these are not legal recommendations, rather practical ideas used by other employers.* Consult your corporate counsel when deciding what makes sense for your company.

• Ensure your timekeeping policy prohibits “off-the-clock work” and requires employees to report any time spent working, even if off-site or outside regular work hours. Non-exempt employees should certify their time records are accurate.
• Provide deskless employees with company-owned mobile devices that they pick up and drop off when they start and finish their shifts.
• Link mobile applications to the company time and attendance solutions so employees can only access the applications when they are formally on the clock.
• Provide training to employees on when they should and should not use mobile applications. Reinforce this with guidelines and warnings that pop up in the applications themselves.
• Monitor application usage and contact employees who appear to be using them at the wrong time or in the wrong way.

These methods may help resolve the apparent conflict between what employees want and what the law requires. At a more general level, ensure employees and managers approach this topic with a sense of understanding and mutual support. Managers should be sensitive to protecting the employee’s time by avoiding intrusions outside normal work hours. And employees should be aware of the legal risks the company faces if they spend time on work tasks without receiving compensation, regardless of how they may feel about it.

Like most aspects of employee experience, the solution is not found by pitting company needs against employee interests; it is found through employees and companies working together to support their complementary goals.

If you are interested in hearing more about the experience of deskless workers, be sure to listen to the exploring the topic of deskless workers or download the  white paper.

*The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.

Most of the employees declared during the pandemic were in deskless jobs. Yet these essential employees receive little technology support compared to their desk-sitting colleagues.

Approximately 80% of the world’s employees do not sit at a desk, but is focused on deskless workers. We rely on deskless workers for tasks that directly impact the health, happiness, and welfare of ourselves and our loved ones. Yet we give them very little job support compared to their desk-based colleagues. Fortunately, changes in the nature of work are driving investment to improve the employee experience for deskless workers.

Where We Are Now

A recent by Â鶹ԭ´´ provides insight into what it is like to be a deskless worker. The study notes the nature of deskless jobs varies depending on things like level of customer interaction, skills specialization, and work environment. When compared to the attitudes of desk-based employees, deskless workers tend to be much less satisfied with wages and bonuses, training and career development, opportunities to share ideas with management, and communication from the company about the business and the performance of themselves and their teams. The highest levels of dissatisfaction are among deskless workers in jobs associated with high turnover located outside of corporate offices, like retail service and health aids, or low levels of customer interaction, like manufacturing and distribution.

Statistics from this study paint a grim picture of the current state of deskless workers. “Only 33% of deskless workers feel comfortable talking to their manager about their salary. Forty-eight percent of deskless workers could not afford to lose the pay if they stayed home, and only 13% benefit from paid sick leave policies.” Only “61% of deskless workers in the United States intend to stay within their current job” although “69% of deskless workers would be less likely to leave their organization if employee communication would improve.” When confronted with statistics like these, it is little surprise that many industries find it .

Why It Is Changing

There are many reasons why deskless work is often seen as less enjoyable and fulfilling than desk-based work. It is often physically demanding, frequently pays less than desk-oriented jobs, and usually requires conforming to fixed work schedules. The fact that deskless workers are away from computers and offices also creates challenges in engaging and communicating with leaders and colleagues. However, three shifts in the nature of jobs are likely to profoundly improve the experience of deskless workers.

There Are No “Unskilled Jobs” in a Digital World

Historically, many deskless jobs were referred to as “unskilled” because they required no formal educational qualifications or requirements. Calling jobs unskilled led many companies to . Rather than investing in employee development, companies focused on using automation to make deskless jobs simpler to reduce costs of hiring and training workers. This focus on automation ultimately led to an interesting . The role of deskless workers now often focuses on non-routine problems that machines cannot handle or involves doing things that require uniquely human traits and talents, such as displaying empathy. This is making deskless work much more skilled and is increasing the importance of training, developing, and retaining deskless workers.

Job Quality Is Driven by Employee Experience

As the pace of business competition increases, companies rely on deskless employees to be fully engaged in their work, doing things such as paying high levels of attention to manufacturing and maintenance tasks, delivering exceptional customer or patient care, and finding effective solutions to transportation or construction challenges. Employees do not do these things well if they feel .

There Are No Walls in a Hybrid World

The events of 2020 created a that blends remote and on-site work experiences. This initially created between deskless workers and their desk-based colleagues who were able to work from home. As the world settles into a new hybrid approach, companies are now seeing opportunities to better engage all employees regardless of their physical location. This is leading to a greater sense of belonging among employees who work outside of corporate offices, which includes deskless workers.

These shifts create pressure on companies to improve employee experiences for deskless workers. How companies respond will determine whether they become opportunities for growth or threats to survival.

Where We Are Going

It has been said that technology is created when we need it. This is true when it comes to . The following are three particularly valuable ways technology allows companies to rethink the nature of deskless work.

Create shared virtual workspaces where everyone has a voice.
Use mobile technology to ensure deskless workers have access to the that support hybrid work. Leverage these platforms to bring deskless and desk-based employees into a “shared workspace in the cloud.” And enable that make it easy for deskless workers to express ideas, opinions, and experiences in a constructive and actionable manner.

Improve talent management and development in the flow of work.
Implement mobile-enabled that help managers engage, develop, and support deskless workers. Leverage that allow deskless workers to integrate training and development activities into ongoing job activities.

Design more fulfilling jobs.
This involves addressing the lower wages and difficult work schedules historically associated with many deskless jobs. Two technology solutions are highly relevant to overcoming these challenges. First, integrated data solutions enable companies to determine how changes in compensation and scheduling impact operational business metrics such as sales, customer retention, manufacturing productivity, and safety incidents. These make it possible to balance the costs of paying higher wages with the benefits of improved deskless worker experiences. Second, enable the design and delivery of service and sales-based commission plans that help ensure deskless workers are appropriately rewarded for their contributions.

Given how little technology investment deskless workers have received in the past, it is clear we can and should do more to support them. Paying greater attention to the needs of deskless workers will be critical to the business success of companies. The world is going through a major transition in and how it should be performed. Rethinking deskless work, whether skilled or “unskilled,” is a critical part of this transformation.

Interested in hearing more about this topic? Be sure to for an upcoming interactive panel discussion exploring the topic of deskless workers on August 11. Or, download the “” white paper.

Steven T. Hunt, Ph.D., is part of Technology & Work within the Â鶹ԭ´´ Innovation Office.