News

P&O LAUNCHES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PORTAL

March 20, 2003

P&O, the UK's leading ferry group, has taken positive steps to ensure all employees can access company communication conveniently and easily. It has employed self-service tech specialists NetShift and Kiosk Solutions experts Fujitsu to spread the benefits of web-based intranet technology and prevent the emergence of an organisational "digital divide" between PC users and field employees.

P&O approached Fujitsu to install interactive kiosks at employee friendly locations around their offices in Dover. Fujitsu engaged with NetShift to develop a user-friendly application using kiosks to allow P&O staff to access the corporate intranet and relevant internet sites, interact with corporate HQ and perform suitable organisational transactions such as booking employee ticket privileges.

Keith Gornall, Business Manager of Fujitsu Kiosk Division, says, "It was evident early on in the discovery phase of the project that NetShift should be introduced to the client to produce a secure and manageable solution for the clients needs. Experience from previous contracts has proven that NetShift has the capabilities to deliver on time and on budget."

HR experts believe employee communications drive significant return on investment (ROI). The NetShift deployment will ensure a state of "digital inclusion" and a platform for ROI.

"Finding a web access solution for a mobile workforce on the English Channel is challenging," says P&O Ferries IT Director Nigel Powis. "The kiosks bring real benefit to large numbers of employees who could otherwise miss out on the developments we have been making in our intranet and internet applications. We have found our employees are very keen to make use of the facilities."

The NetShift software platform is designed for the most testing public access conditions. It focuses on intuitive navigation for non-technical users and prevents navigation beyond relevant information sites thanks to a secured browser.

Julian Haslam, marketing director of NetShift says, "Recent statistics reveal that over 35 million British, French and German workers, from a total of 80 million, do not have access to a PC at home or at work. There is a danger that office staff will have access to HR benefits that their colleagues in the field must forego. HR Kiosk implementations ensure field employees have the same levels of access as desk staff."