Using Kronos Mobile for Workplace Safety during COVID-19
One of the biggest challenges for health systems as their workforces return to the hospital and practice setting – whether it’s due to the end of self-quarantine or the easing of a work-at-home policy – is minimizing the number of shared touchpoints that employees have. Organizations are trying to do everything they can to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission through shared surfaces or impromptu group gatherings near a workstation or timeclock.
In a previous post, we reviewed how organizations can use Kronos for contact tracing. In this post, we’ll cover how Kronos mobile can mitigate risks for employees who are coming to work.
At workplaces using a shared timeclock, the Kronos app can be used as an alternative to enable workers to punch in and out from their mobile devices. This limits the number of times that the timeclock needs to be cleaned – and it gives employees peace of mind, as they don’t have to put themselves at risk just to punch in.
Turn on Geofencing
If your organization wants to turn on mobile punch in/out, consider turning on geofencing as well. Geofencing in Kronos allows employees to clock in and out only within a virtual boundary defined by GPS or RFID technology. The “fence” could be a perimeter around a hospital campus, or even an individual building. If employees are not compensated for their commute, geofencing will ensure that they can’t punch in until they arrive at work.
You can also modify a user’s Kronos mobile settings in Workforce Dimensions or Workforce Central to provide access to additional functionality beyond just punching in and out. Allowing employees to review schedules and timesheets and submit time-off requests, for example, will get rid of the need to use a shared workstation to complete these tasks. It also provides the flexibility of using Kronos away from the worksite for non-urgent tasks.
In addition, Kronos mobile can be set up so employees can complete requests to change their availability, ask for shift coverage, and cover an open shift. Again, this offers the advantage of not needing to use a shared workstation for these requests as well as the flexibility of making requests away from the worksite. If employees are requesting these changes because they may have been exposed to COVID-19, use of their personal mobile device to access Kronos greatly reduces the risk of transmission to other employees.
Contact Healthcare IT Leaders today if you’re considering a new or expanded license for Kronos mobile. Our Kronos practice can help you with configuration, training and support.
Christine Hanna leads the Kronos Practice at Healthcare IT Leaders. She has participated in and led over 100 Kronos projects as a 20+ year consultant specializing in Workforce Management.
