WARMINSTER, PA, JULY 26, 2024 –
With ongoing pressures to maximize profits and provide the best possible service to customers, businesses across every industry are continually seeking new and innovative ways to improve efficiency. This blog post will explore how innovative technologies such as docking stations enhance work efficiency for field workers.
What is Field Work?
By definition, field work is work completed away from the main office or workplace. With the potential to comprise a variety of different tasks, field work is an integral part of many industries, some of which include oil and gas, energy, water and construction, agriculture, and mining. In these industries, field workers must often carry out their jobs in demanding and at times, remote environments.
The Challenges of Field Work
Given these conditions, it is clear that field work inevitably involves several challenges. For instance, field workers often have to deal with unpredictable and adverse weather conditions when working outdoors. Likewise, due to the nature of work in demanding industries such as those mentioned above, field employees must also deal with a range of potential dangers (for example – chemicals, debris, water). Consequently, these two factors have traditionally made the use of technology in the field somewhat problematic.
The Digital Transformation of Field Work
With consumer demands constantly increasing and evolving, industry leaders continually seek new ways to improve work efficiency, particularly in the field. Nowadays, consumers across a number of sectors expect services to be not just reliable and convenient, but also increasingly personalized to their needs.
In recent years, technology has significantly transformed how field workers across several industries do their jobs. Technology is allowing field employees to increase efficiency, optimize the completion of mundane tasks, and ultimately improve business productivity overall.
The Challenge of Digitizing Field Work
However, despite large steps being taken toward digitizing field work, some challenges remain. For example, although technology has great (and proven) potential to improve field workers’ efficiency, there have long been safety concerns around its usage in the field and at certain job sites.
In the oil and gas industry, for instance, many mobile technologies have long been prohibited in particular job sites due to concerns surrounding device flammability. Even without the presence of flammable materials, the use of technology in field work more broadly can be difficult in other ways, whether due to harsh working conditions (e.g., dust, debris, water) or the weather.
Finding The Correct Solution
In light of these challenges, implementing the correct technology for a particular industry or use case is crucial. For instance, it goes without saying that outdated tools and technologies can be a significant hindrance when trying to boost field work efficiency. As will be discussed in the coming paragraphs, suitable technology plays a central role in improving field workers’ efficiency in many ways.
The Requirements of Technology for Field Work
Any technology used in the field must withstand a wide range of harsh conditions. Yet, speaking broadly, many of the solutions on the market are not durable enough to tolerate the demanding environments and handling involved in many field workers’ day-to-day jobs.
Therefore, the primary goal of implementing technology in the field is to provide reliable solutions that significantly improve work efficiency for field workers. These solutions must be:
Ruggedized – Given the potentially demanding nature of both the work itself and the environments it is carried out in, the solutions implemented must be sufficiently rugged. As suggested, technology and any associated hardware must be able to withstand harsh weather, dust and debris, rough handling from field employees and more.
Lightweight – For effective use in the field, technology must strike the right balance between being rugged and lightweight. If technology will be used away from a fixed location (eg: away from the main office or the work truck), it should be easy for any employee to carry as and when required. If solutions are heavy and/or bulky, it is possible that workers may leave them behind and attempt to complete the task without the proper equipment. This is problematic for work efficiency as it could mean that field workers forgo access to critical data and resources. Clearly then, by implementing solutions which are lightweight and easy for workers to use whenever and wherever required, companies can effectively boost work efficiency.
IP-Rated – Taking protection one step further, technology used in harsh environments should also be ‘IP-Rated’. The Ingress Protection (IP) rating system outlines the grade of resistance and protection that a solution provides against liquids and dust. Ensuring technology is adequately and reliably protected against any liquid and debris is essential to maintaining and improving work efficiency in the field.
Havis Solutions for Improving Efficiency in Field Work
As a trusted provider of innovative technology mounting and mobility solutions, Havis is well-placed to help field employees work efficiently and improve productivity overall. Ideal for use in the field across many sectors, Havis’s industry-leading tablet and laptop docking stations are designed to be rugged, durable and reliable.
Boasting cutting-edge features, Havis docking stations have already helped thousands of field workers to increase their work efficiency and optimize output. As will become clear in the following section, docking stations offer unparalleled benefits to organizations seeking to increase efficiency in the field.
The Benefits of Docking Stations for Field Workers
When it comes to field work, docking stations offer a wide range of benefits. Together, these benefits improve efficiency in the field, regardless of industry.
Reliable Connectivity
When working in remote and potentially dangerous settings, reliable connectivity is vital. Field workers must be able to reach their colleagues in the field work environment or those back at the company headquarters. This is critical to day-to-day operations, whether for collaborating remotely, sharing essential data, or reporting any issues/emergencies. With this necessity in mind, Havis’s docking stations have been designed to excel in connectivity, offering various connectivity options such as USB, Ethernet, and power interfaces.
Unhindered Data Access & Communications
Havis docking stations ensure round-the-clock connectivity, meaning field workers benefit from unhindered data access and communications in the field. This is important for overall work efficiency nowadays, given that many field workers rely heavily on technology for crucial aspects of their jobs. Field workers with access to reliable, synchronized data can more effectively complete project management, data analysis, safety management, and various other duties.
Improved Safety
In more ways than one, docking stations are also a helpful way to boost field workers’ safety. Firstly, providing a continuous source of power and communication, docking stations help to ensure devices are always charged and ready to be used to report any issues on site. Ensuring a reliable connection, particularly while working in remote locations, undoubtedly helps to reduce stress in field workers, thereby allowing them to work efficiently.
Secondly, one of the most important things to consider when implementing technology in the field is where it will be stored. Ideal for use in work trucks, Havis docking stations provide a safe and secure location to store technology when not in use and while on the move. By providing a secure, designated location for technology, businesses can protect the technology itself and improve the safety of field workers on the move. Rigorously tested (crash, vibration, environmental, cycle), Havis docking stations play a central role in creating a safe, mobile work environment for field workers.
Optimized Productivity
Technology has quickly become vital to working smarter and improving efficiency in many industries, and docking stations are no exception. The unique two-part design of Havis docks means that field workers can easily remove the device from the dock when required. When tasks are complete, employees can simply put the device back into the docking station for continued work, charging, and storage. Making it easy for workers to seamlessly use technology in this way is excellent for time management, motivation, and overall work efficiency.
Device Protection
As suggested, docking stations also help to improve efficiency for field workers by protecting devices from accidental damage. If tablets or laptops are damaged in the field, the resulting device downtime could last anywhere from a few moments to indefinitely, in the case of total device failure. With this in mind, providing adequate protection for technology is essential for the financial bottom line and work efficiency/productivity.
IP-Rated Options
Taking device protection one step further, IP-rated docking stations offer businesses and field workers extra peace of mind. As mentioned, IP-rated solutions protect valuable technology from water, dust, or debris intrusion. This is crucial as it minimizes the chance of costly or potentially irreversible damage and, consequently, device downtime. Plus, by boosting the longevity of technology, businesses can benefit from reduced costs in the long run. Havis IP65 docking stations are a prime example of IP-rated hardware that gives businesses this added security and device protection in the field.
Conclusion
To conclude, docking stations clearly have much to offer field workers looking to boost work efficiency. With a Havis docking station, the work truck can be transformed into an efficient and connected mobile office, allowing field workers to access, update, and manage critical information while on the move. Plus, with a rugged two-part design, Havis docking stations help to streamline workflow and boost productivity by enabling workers to undock the device to go mobile, whenever and wherever is required.
Interested in learning more?
To explore Havis’s industry-leading portfolio of docking stations for tablets, visit our website here. For laptop docking solutions, click here.
ABOUT HAVIS
Havis, Inc. is a privately held, ISO 9001-certified company that is the leader in providing robust and reliable end-to-end technology mounting and mobility solutions in demanding environments. The Havis legacy dates back over 80 years as a trusted designer and manufacturer of critical equipment that ensures technology is accessible, secure and reliable.
Havis’s engineering and manufacturing teams are committed to consistently researching and developing unique products and solutions for a range of industries worldwide. With headquarters in Warminster, PA, and additional locations in Plymouth, MI, Burnsville, MN, and in the UK, Havis currently employs more than 400 team members. For more information on Havis, please call 1.800.524.9900 or visit http://www.havis.com.
