\n Everybody has someone in their lives who seems superhuman. Whether they\u2019re a famous icon, a fabulous friend, or a parent, they seem to have it all, do it all, and still have time to cater for everybody else, without putting a foot wrong or getting a hair out of place. Who is that person for you? They\u2019re effortlessly amazing, aren\u2019t they? Well, if that person was a web technology, they\u2019d be a progressive web app. \n<\/p>\n
\n Was that an unexpected pivot? Stick with me and by the end of this article you\u2019ll understand why SenseHR are so excited about progressive web app (PWA) technology, as well as the benefits for organisations and their people. \n<\/p>\n
\n Before launching into an unashamed public display of affection for progressive web apps, what exactly is a PWA? The short answer is this\u2014it\u2019s a \u2018do-it-all\u2019 hybrid, which combines the enhanced capabilities and reliability of a native app (that is, platform specific applications that are available to download from application stores like Google Play and the Apple App Store or via APK files) with the accessibility, speed, and barely-there system impact of a website. The term progressive web application was coined by designer Frances Berriman and Google Chrome engineer\u202fAlex Russell in 2015 by prefixing the already prevalent term \u2018web application\u2019 with the word \u2018progressive\u2019\u2014I know, right\u2014they don\u2019t get the big bucks at Google for nothing. Like native apps, PWAs are capable, reliable, and \u2018installable\u2019 by design. They can securely access system files and media controls like cameras, microphones, sounds and haptic feedback. They can use device GPS and Bluetooth. They even have an offline mode and can adapt functionality with network quality. They can make use of augmented and virtual reality functions and much more<\/a>. And they do all of this while taking advantage of the web\u2019s inherent secure, user-centric permission model, and its accessibility for \u201canyone, anywhere, on any device\u202fwith a single codebase<\/a>\u201d. \n<\/p>\n \n But\u2026 how? \n<\/p>\n \n We\u2019re not talking a deep dive\u2014think somewhere between snorkel and full scuba gear\u2014feel free to skip ahead to the next section if you\u2019re more interested in the \u2018what\u2019s in it for me?\u2019 bit, than the \u2018how on earth does it do that?\u2019\u2026. but if you want to know a little more about the tech, then read-on my intrepid software explorer! \n<\/p>\n \n While native apps and PWAs deliver a similar user experience, they look very different from a development perspective. PWAs are built with modern APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to create a truly adaptable app. They use only common web technologies,\u202fincluding HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Native apps are developed for each individual platform using that platform\u2019s coding language, for example, Java<\/a> or Kotlin<\/a> for Android, and Swift<\/a> or Objective-C<\/a> for iOS. As Nick Chasinov, founder and CEO of Teknicks, rightly points out \u201cthis makes developing a PWA much faster and easier, because you only need to build one version that can be displayed seamlessly on almost any mobile device\u2019s web browser\u201d. And what\u2019s easy for a developer can pay dividends for a user when their chosen application is always up to date, bug-free, and works seamlessly. \n<\/p>\n \n The look and behaviour of a PWA is dictated by its web app manifest file, which defines information such as the name of the app, how the browser UI is displayed, how much of the website behaves like web application, icons, theme colours, and background colours. Without this, as progressive web app is just a website and can\u2019t unlock features such as app shortcuts<\/a>, badging for app icons<\/a>, and access to device-level functionality. \n<\/p>\n \n To match the offline capabilities and push notifications of a native app, PWAs employ service workers. And no, that\u2019s not the \u2018downstairs\u2019 cast of Downton Abbey\u2026 but could certainly be described as their scripting equivalent. This aptly named script helps you retrieve the information that you need, whenever you need it\u2014even offline\u2014by clever caching of application resources. \n<\/p>\n \n Phew! Still with me? Now for the best bit. \n<\/p>\n \n The truth is that PWAs can benefit any organisation, any department, and any web user. But let\u2019s keep this HR specific because that\u2019s what we\u2019re all here for. \n<\/p>\n \n Native applications can\u2019t be indexed, listed in search engine results pages, or customised\u2014PWAs can (although they can be coded not to). That means instead of directing your workforce to a native, third-party HR app or widget, you can direct them to YOUR own website, where your HR portal is branded to match your company colours and logo\u2014even the URL can be customised to look like part of your own ecosystem. \n<\/p>\n \n And for your people, using a PWA instead of a native app, means they can access their HR portal anywhere, anytime, and on any device. They don\u2019t have to keep their work device to hand. What\u2019s more, they can enjoy a unified, sleek, and recognisable experience. \n<\/p>\n \n With native web apps your security is largely in the hands of the third-party developer. But the innate security of PWAs comes from being hosted over HTTPS. These protocols prevent man-in-the-middle attacks by ensuring that exchanges between the server and client can\u2019t be hacked. In this secure environment, you and your employees can always enter, send, and handle personal data, with peace of mind. \n<\/p>\n \n Native apps need to be downloaded and installed on each device. If you\u2019ve been through that process, you know that it requires commitment. Not only is it time-consuming to find, download, install, and set permissions, but it takes up valuable device memory. After all that, your app had better give a good return on investment or it will be deleted and never downloaded again. Not so for the progressive web app. Although they include \u2018install\u2019 features, these are just links that mimic the functions of native apps. They can be added to your home screen, display predefined icons, employ push notification, and even icon badges. All this gives an app-like experience, even on low-end devices with limited capabilities. What\u2019s more, they take up much less room than native apps. Just compare the Twitter native app at 23.5MB<\/a> with Twitter lite (a PWA) at 600KB! And content is directly shareable. \n<\/p>\n \n That means employees don\u2019t have to download anything onto their personal devices to stay in the loop. It can also improve engagement and communication because your people can link and share vital content. \n<\/p>\n \n Using a native app your employees could all have different experiences depending on the device that they\u2019re using, the available updates for that device, and whether they\u2019ve actioned those updates. But progressive web apps make endless updates a thing of the past. You and your employees no longer need to worry about having the latest version with all its required bug fixes. PWAs are always up to date, so everybody in your organisation has the best user experience that\u2019s available, always. \n<\/p>\n \n A good PWA is fast. Not just quick\u2014it\u2019s the Bugatti Chiron of loading speeds. And because of data fetching, syncing, and cached responses, that performance only improves as your relationship with a PWA builds over time. \n<\/p>\n \n George.com, a leading UK clothing brand and part of the ASDA supermarket chain, upgraded their site<\/a> to a progressive web app and saw 3.8x faster average page load time. And Forbes reported<\/a> that after launching their PWA, a mobile page \u201cloads completely in eight tenths of a second, considerably faster than nearly all other news media sites\u201d. \n<\/p>\n \n For any busy HR department (\u2026 that\u2019s every HR department, we know) and the employees who are trying to access and use the HR portal, the advantages of speed are self-evident. \n<\/p>\nA quick tech dive\u00a0<\/h2>\n
How can a PWA help my HR department and my people?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Customisation\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Security<\/h2>\n
Function without installation\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Updates not needed\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Speed\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Offline capability\u00a0<\/h2>\n