Continuing from yesterday’s post, here are some pros and cons of wearables in the workplace.
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Pros of Wearables in the Workplace
Potential to increase productivity rates. According to seminal research, wearable devices can increase employee productivity rates by nearly 10%. Wearables allow employees to complete certain job functions faster and more efficiently—employees from a multitude of industries.
For instance, retail employees can now look up product and pricing information for a customer on a wearable device with a display as they’re with a customer. And construction workers can use wearables to view inside walls and piping so they don’t have to tear apart walls or other structures to get to them.
Can increase employee satisfaction rates. When employees are provided with more resources to be better and more efficient at their jobs, their satisfaction rates increase. And when they’re using wearables to stay fit and in shape and to collaborate with one another, their satisfaction rates will increase too. Healthy and productive employees are more satisfied employees.
Better for employee wellness, fitness, and safety. Wearables that help employees stay active and fit will increase their overall rates of wellness and fitness and will decrease your organization’s healthcare costs. Some devices will track steps taken and heart rates and will notify employees when and if they need to get moving.
And your organization will have the data it needs to negotiate better rates from healthcare entities. In addition, some wearable devices will notify employees when their physical safety is at risk—for instance, when they’re lifting something inappropriately or sitting down for long stretches of time with terrible posture. So, you’ll have fewer safety issues to handle and fewer long-term side effects that come with them.
Cons of Wearables in the Workplace
Price. The price of most wearables is decreasing each passing year. However, if the systems and technology your organization currently manages aren’t compatible with the wearable devices your organization needs, you could end up spending more money to implement new systems and technology infrastructures to support your wearable devices. And each wearable device can be quite pricy, too, depending on what type of device you’re buying and how many you’re buying.
Provide distractions. Wearable devices also have the potential to distract employees, like the ways that Internet search engines and social media platforms have the potential to distract employees. The more devices employees have access to that are connected to the Internet or that are cool to play with, the more likely they are to get distracted in meetings and while working on projects.
Privacy concerns. The employee data that wearable devices track and monitor must be kept secure and safe. Just as you would work hard to keep your employees’ personnel files, financial records, etc., safe and protected, you must also make sure you work hard to keep their data collected by wearables safe. Such data are very valuable to hackers who want to sell and/or use them for their own purposes.
Keep the pros and cons of wearables in the workplace mentioned above in mind, as well as the tips and information provided in yesterday’s post, as you consider implementing wearable technology at your own organization.