Question

Conduct research about automated alert roster and employee check-in systems. Which ones would be feasible if there are widespread power outages? Lack of communication infrastructure? Are there any alternatives in those two situations?

Answer 1

Alert roster is a document which contains details of the personnel who needs to be contacted in the event of a disaster. The information can be dispersed to the personnel in two ways, namely- sequentially and hierarchically. In the sequential method, all the personnel mentioned in the document are contacted. In the hierarchical method, each person are contacted based on their hierarchy. The personnel then contact other persons involved in the hierarchy. Today, alert rosters are automated for speedy action. The disadvantage of alert roster is that not all the personnel are included in the alert roster. Only personnel who must respond to a specific incident and need to take action on the Incident Response (IR) should be contacted. During this phase, other key personnel are not contacted as they are not mentioned in the document.

An employee check-in system is the automated system which records the employees’ in and out times accurately. It helps to define when the employee is at work. It helps the supervisors to keep track of their employees and helps to provide any overtime payment if the employee has worked more than the usual hours. It also helps the supervisor to identify employees who have not worked as per the company’s policies and takes disciplinary action on those employees. The employee check-in systems are automated today to avoid any malpractices by both the employer and the employees.

Personally speaking, I believe that alert rosters are more than the employee check-in systems if there are widespread power outages because personnel can be contacted manually using mobile phones. Though the system might be automated, the challenges during power outages can be easily overcome by mobile alerts (sms and calling) and email alerts. On the other hand, if automation fails in employee check-in systems, then manual recording of the employees at work might not yield accurate results. There is lack of communication infrastructure in employee check-in systems whereas communication is not interrupted in alert roster. The alternative for alert roster is manual calling and the alternative for employee check-in systems is also manual recording however the former works well in the event of power outages.