OPINION : From Paper Trails to Pindrops

A Case for Geolocation Technology

How many people are on site today? It’s a deceptively simple question with a complicated answer, one that can have critical implications for safety, efficiency, and strategic planning in industrial environments. As organizations grow, their workforces are often dispersed across multiple locations, whether within an expansive industrial plant or spread over multiple sites. Tracking where and how many people are actively working at any given moment is a fundamental need for safety and operational efficiency, yet traditional methods are labor-intensive, outdated, and prone to error. Geolocation technology provides a promising solution, but not without raising valid concerns about privacy and worker autonomy.

The Challenge of Workforce Visibility

Historically, the process of tracking workforce numbers has been cumbersome. For instance, in medium to large companies, daily workforce reports might be compiled by hand each morning, detailing how many people are on-site, their roles, shifts, and locations. These reports, often generated on paper, are then collated to form a daily snapshot of the workforce. However, as work progresses, crews may move to different locations or shift their focus according to job demands, rendering the morning’s data obsolete. Such manual tracking not only consumes valuable time but also fails to provide real-time data, which is critical for decision-making, billing, and safety preparedness.

This data gap poses significant issues. In case of an emergency, for instance, responders must know where personnel are located to prioritize resources effectively. In large-scale projects or turnaround events, knowing the availability of skilled workers like welders on-site is crucial to staying on schedule and meeting project demands. Simply put, workforce visibility directly impacts both the productivity and safety of industrial operations.

Moving Toward Real-Time with Geolocation

With the advent of mobile technology, some companies have moved away from paper-based reporting, leveraging power apps to collect workforce data. This shift has reduced manual labor and introduced greater flexibility in data analysis through tools like Power BI, which allows companies to layer and analyze workforce data. However, even this technology remains limited: data is only accurate at the time of entry. To address these limitations, geolocation technology is emerging as a viable solution, offering real-time tracking of personnel within a site.

Geolocation technology can transform workforce management, providing up-to-the-minute data on the whereabouts of employees. In an emergency, geolocation could quickly reveal the exact locations of all personnel, enabling immediate, targeted responses. This could be life-saving in situations such as a fire or explosion, where every second counts in directing emergency services. Beyond crisis scenarios, real-time geolocation also enables more flexible, dynamic workforce management, allowing supervisors to adjust plans and reassign resources quickly as needs arise.

Privacy and Trust: Barriers to Adoption

While geolocation technology holds enormous potential, its implementation raises essential questions about privacy, worker autonomy, and trust. Employees understandably fear that such technology could be misused. Will it lead to invasive monitoring beyond working hours? Could it foster a culture of surveillance rather than trust? These questions aren’t hypothetical – they reflect genuine concerns from employees who want assurances that their privacy will be respected and that data won’t be used punitively.

To address these concerns, organizations must adopt transparent policies and engage workers in the conversation around geolocation technology. They need to clarify what data will be collected, how it will be used, and who will have access to it. For example, clear policies can stipulate that geolocation tracking is limited to on-site hours and is used solely for safety and operational needs, not performance evaluations. By involving employees in developing these policies, organizations can better address privacy concerns, fostering a culture of trust and accountability.

Geolocation and the Future of Workforce Safety

The balance between operational efficiency and individual privacy is delicate but achievable. If implemented thoughtfully, geolocation technology offers a promising solution to an age-old problem: maintaining real-time workforce visibility in complex industrial environments. It can provide insights that support both routine operations and emergency response, ultimately enhancing worker safety and operational productivity. The key lies in ensuring that employees are part of the decision-making process, that policies are transparent, and that privacy concerns are treated with the respect they deserve.

The question “Where is my workforce?” may never have a perfectly simple answer, but with the thoughtful adoption of geolocation technology, organizations can move closer to a solution that respects both operational needs and worker privacy. In the end, a workforce that feels safe, respected, and included in technological advancements is the strongest foundation for any organization.

I'd be curious if you successfully deployed this technology on your sites.

Corey

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