“The news that the lone worker device market is expected to grow isn’t a big surprise for us in the industry, but considering there are close to 80 million lone workers in the US, Canada and Europe alone, and 64% of those do not see themselves as lone workers, it may come as a surprise to others.
“With the number of lone workers expected to increase over the coming years, driving demand in the lone worker device market, the rise is often credited to the increase in remote and hybrid working post-pandemic. However, there is more to the story.
“Due to the continued adoption of remote and hybrid working, many lone workers are now in traditionally ‘safer’ environments – such as the home – at least some of the time. As such, they may not be dependent on lone worker devices day to day, and only utilise these when they are away from home. This means demand will also be coming from other areas.
“Unfortunately, some traditionally safer environments and job roles are experiencing increased abuse and violence; the retail sector, in particular, has seen a huge increase in reports of abuse and violence, while public service roles have also been facing increased instances of abuse in recent years. This means that employers are having to make fast decisions about how to ensure the safety of their workforce. And lone worker devices are the ideal solution for many.
“As a result, it’s clear that lone worker devices are not just being used for remote workers. Our customers operate across a range of sectors, such as healthcare, utilities and property management, and our app is utilised by employees who are both in field and on-site, increasing their safety and security, and giving them peace of mind. So it’s clear that this technology is becoming more widely adopted by employees who see the benefit for those whose roles were once considered ‘safe’, as well as for those who work in traditionally high risk roles. As such, the number of sectors our customers operate in is increasing with employees reaping the benefits of having better safety control and reporting methods for their employees.
“We foresee this adoption of lone worker devices across different industries continuing as we move into the next year and beyond. Driven, in part, by the increase in remote and hybrid workers, but mainly by the need and desire by employees and employers alike across sectors, to be – and feel – safe when at work. After all, just because employers are out of sight, they shouldn’t be out of mind.”