Tag: gigabit networks

  • New App Makes Retail Workplaces More Accessible for People with a Disability

    New App Makes Retail Workplaces More Accessible for People with a Disability

    The first workforce management solution app to be fully accessibility compliant has been launched, making retail workplaces in Singapore and across the Asia-Pacific region more inclusive for people with disabilities and an ageing population.

    The new release of Humanforce’s mobile app complies with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA rating. This means it meets 100 percent of the recommendations for making content accessible to people with disabilities including colour-blindness and low vision.

    “There is an unresolved tension between the business and technology vendor desire for integrating the most advanced technology solutions that often best meet the needs of millennial workers, and also making the workplace more inclusive of diversity,” explained Mike McGee, Chief Product Officer, Humanforce. “Too often we see the former being the priority at the expense of workers with a disability and those that make up our ageing workforce.”

    Recent research from McKinsey found that businesses, such as large chain retailers, with higher diversity are more likely to achieve higher financial performance. However, people with a disability are often overlooked when it comes to workplace diversity. The Ministry of Manpower found in June 2018 that 28.6 percent of people with a disability in Singapore were employed, while 4.2 percent were unemployed but looking for work, which translate to an unemployment rate of 12.9 percent. Additionally, it found that 67.2 percent of people with a disability were outside of the labour force due to poor health or disability. This compares to a 2.3 percent unemployment rate for the entire Singapore population.

    “Retail employers can be doing much more to make the workplace more inclusive for the people with a disability currently working and also to increase employment of the many people with a disability looking for work. And as we see the retirement age raised to 35 by 2030 and the re-employment age also go up to 70 by 2030, we’re also going to see the number of people with a disability in the workplace increase.

    “A key piece of the puzzle is ensuring all the workplace technologies retailers invest in to increase their success don’t work to preference younger workers, while discriminating against workers with a disability and the ageing population,” added Mike.

    Find out more about Humanforce.

    About Humanforce

    Humanforce is a global provider of workforce management solutions for companies who need a flexible solution to manage complex workforces. Companies use Humanforce to manage everything from time and attendance, employee rostering, onboarding and availability. Humanforce also has strong partnerships with industry leading payroll providers.

    Humanforce was founded in Sydney in 2002, and today has offices across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK. For more information: www.humanforce.com

    Media Contact:

    Corinne Nolte

    Mulberry Marketing Communications

    +613 9023 9110

    cnolte@mulberrymc.com

  • 350 gigabit networks have been launched worldwide

    350 gigabit networks have been launched worldwide

    There have now been at least 350 gigabit-speed network deployments globally across wireline and wireless technologies, according to Viavi Solutions.

    The network testing company’s new Gigabit Monitor database shows that there have to date been a further 164 deployments announced or under construction.

    But Asia is behind the curve in terms of deployments – while North America has the largest share with 61%, and Europe is second with 24%, APAC, MEA and South America together only make up the remaining 15%.

    Fiber is the most dominant gigabit technology, accounting for 85% of launched networks. Nearly all of the remainder, and 11% of the total, are based on HFC, while the final 3% are based on LTE-A.

    Meanwhile 37 operators have announced plans to deploy 5G once the technology becomes available, with five planning a pre-standard debut as early as next year.

    “The gigabit revolution is in full swing and faster speeds can’t come soon enough to feed an insatiable appetite for bandwidth,” Viavi CTO Sameh Yamany said.

    “There are more than 20 billion connected devices and that number is continually increasing. For the consumer, there are obvious benefits. For society as a whole, research also shows that widely available broadband can be a driver for growth and jobs. And with a 100-fold increase in speed, service providers will need to ensure that their ecosystems are ready for the massive network evolution required to deliver the customer experience they envision.”