In a workforce where smartphones outnumber computers and employees are out on jobsites all day but connected via a mobile device, HR leaders and managers alike are taking advantage of the speed and convenience of a mobile workforce management strategy.

Mobile-friendly workforce management is more than useful; it’s a practical way for construction companies to engage their employee population. Companies struggling with recruiting and retaining top talent should take the following benefits of a mobile-friendly workforce management strategy into consideration when approaching their recruiting and workforce development plans.

Less Recruiting Competition

Companies that take recruiting online and make it easy to research the company and apply for positions using a mobile device have a competitive advantage. Sixty percent of online traffic comes from mobile devices so it’s crucial to have a mobile-optimized job application process available for qualified employees who are searching for their next job on their smartphones. Candidates benefit from mobile recruiting by being able to quickly apply for a position during their lunch break instead of having to wait and, quite possibly, forget about the position at a later time because there was no way to apply except for on a desktop or laptop computer.

Create a Larger Applicant Pool

The number of mobile job seekers is astronomical in today’s world. Seventy percent of millennials looking for a job or career are using their smartphone as an invaluable tool during their search.

Why miss out on an opportunity to reach out to a larger group of candidates? Highly qualified candidates can be sourced through recruiting from the 90 percent of job seekers who report that they’re likely to use a mobile device during their search within the next year. Companies that make their career page and application process accessible via smartphone or tablet improve their chances of discovering a high volume of skilled, capable candidates.

Accelerate Hiring

Utilizing a mobile device to communicate to a job candidate is the ultimate way to make for speedy hiring, resulting in crucial positions getting filled quicker. Reduce time spent composing emails on an individual basis during this busy time by taking advantage of email templates and other mobile compatibilities that allow for mobile-based communication between HR managers and candidates. Creating several templates constructed for common messages can allow for an HR manager to send instantaneous responses to job applicants during the interviewing process.

Speed Up Onboarding

HR or talent managers who utilize a readily available and mobile-friendly onboarding process are saving a variety of resources, including time. Using a centralized online repository that is mobile-friendly makes onboarding documents, videos and new hire training accessible to employees to help quickly and smoothly transition employees into new positions.

With millennials expected to make up 50 percent of the construction industry’s workforce by 2020, companies that offer an automated recruiting and onboarding process demonstrate that they are technology-friendly from the beginning of the employee life cycle. This sets the stage for a positive impression with new hires.

Guarantee Workforce Safety and Promote Succession

After employees have completed their online paperwork, it’s time to get them trained and ready to work. Ensure workforce safety and promote positive performance by delivering online employee training. Having immediate and unlimited access to online training can allow a supervisor or HR manager to quickly assign training courses so that an employee can learn and advance faster and easier, giving them the resources needed to succeed and advance.

Engage Employees

Construction managers and superintendents are rethinking how to engage employees. The new workforce isn’t motivated by the annual paper-based performance review systems of the past. Employees require more frequent feedback and communication in the form of pulse surveys and a way for them to share ideas and feedback too. This more frequent feedback loop results in better productivity as managers and employees get on the same page and drive toward the same results.

Practice a mobile-focused talent management strategy to improve workforce development and productivity and diminish the difficulties that come with sourcing, retaining and managing top talent that would otherwise be time-consuming and costly.