16 Nov 2023
by Richard Thompson

Using digital ID to streamline staff movement and mobility

Guest blog from Richard Thompson, Consulting Manager at Sopra Steria.

Digital identities and credentials can deliver strategic benefits to workforce flexibility, allowing staff to move across roles efficiently and effectively. In a fast and changing digital workplace, inflexibility can rob organisations of the ability to deliver services to customers in a timely manner. 

Staff movement and mobility has become an increasingly pressing issue in today’s working world, with staff shortages threatening some industries. Having a flexible workforce that can move quickly and easily between locations, means businesses can respond to changes in markets and respond to demand. This ranges from healthcare staff moving between hospitals to contract workers on constructions sites. Employers need to know who is working for them, if they are qualified and that their credentials can be verified. 

The process of moving staff around different health care trusts, construction sites, industrial plants, to name a few, can be time-consuming and costly, as it requires verifying the credentials, qualifications and training records of each worker every time they move jobs. However, a digital ID combined with a skills and credentials wallet can help to streamline and simplify the process, allowing for faster and more efficient staff movement and mobility. 

Why Digital ID? 

Digital ID is a digital form of identification that is used to understand who someone is, and that has been created to a trusted standard. It can include information from a person's name, address, date of birth and other credentials such as passport information, through to the specialism a doctor has or a Gas Safe ID card for a plumber. This information is stored in an individual’s digital wallet on their phone, along with their digital ID, both of which can be verified as being issued correctly by a governing body for a qualification for example. 

This makes digital IDs and digital wallets an ideal way for businesses to quickly and securely verify the identity and qualifications of their workers.

How can Digital ID help with staff movement? 

Digital ID can help to simplify the process of staff movement and mobility by allowing employers to quickly verify the qualifications and training of new employees.  

There are three main ways digital ID can help with staff movement: 

  • It saves time, 
  • it saves money and 
  • data is securely stored so it reduces the risk of fraud. 

Employers can use digital ID to quickly check a potential worker’s qualifications and training records without having to wait for documents to be sent via post or to be verified by a third party. This reduces the amount of time it takes for an employee to start working at a new location and they can get started on work straight away.  

Digital ID and verifiable credentials can help to reduce costs associated with staff movement as businesses no longer have to rely on physical documents and the checking administration needed. Instead, they can simply check the digital ID and credentials of their employee and instantly and confidently know that they have the necessary qualifications and training for the job they’re being asked to do.  

Sensitive credentials are securely stored in a wallet, safe from unauthorised access or manipulation. Technology can also reduce the risk of fraud or identity theft by ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information. For example, you’d be able to choose that the information passed over only included what’s relevant for the job. 

What next?  

By using digital ID and credentials, businesses will be able to move staff around more quickly and efficiently to meet their business needs. To achieve this, businesses need to trust a digital ID, the associated verified credentials, and how they were created and verified in order to move staff around quickly.  

This will allow them to move workers in minutes, rather than months, and derive the benefits from digital staff credentials right away, to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced world. 

To find out how Sopra Steria can help with staff mobility and digital ID contact [email protected]  

Authors

Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson

Consulting manager, Digital Identity, Sopra Steria