How Wearable Tech Improves Employee Productivity & Management

Technology is ever-evolving. It is giving rise to new wearable devices worldwide. An exact estimate indicates there are almost 1.1 billion devices expected to circulate the market by 2022. When it comes to wearable devices, the first thing to click our minds are smartwatches. But that’s one among the many since there are countless others. Wearable gadgets include smart glasses, hearables, exoskeletons, and more. On an average, the total reach of wearable technology is expected to grow by US $60 billion by the year 2022. It’s growth is expected to increase by 41 percent annually. 

We now see wearables entering into the workspace market. And with the passage of time, they are expected to become common in usage. An example which I can quote here is of British grocery chain Tesco. They have launched armbands which allow workers to easily track products, estimate completion times, check order fulfillment and other relative information. The armbands are also equipped with sensors which helps you monitor fatigue. It can help operators working at the backend to avoid unwanted accidents from taking place. There are many such examples where organizations are investing their budgets in enhancing the wellness programs internally.  

Such wearables also contain sensors which allow businesses to track information based on the employees movements while completing a task. For instance, the Carolina Panthers use sensors equipped in the Under Armour shirts which transmit real-time information on the bodily performance of the athlete. What once used to require a stopwatch and precise clicking/unclicking has moved to a much more sophisticated method where rich data about every inch of a player’s sprint is directly received on the screen. It is so accurate, that it goes beyond the point explaining where the athlete’s legs can go out of sync. Such wearable technologies are carving paths for becoming productive. 

What Wearables Can Improve Employee Productivity? 

There are many wearables which can improve employees productivity and polish up their focus. We believe smartwatches can only be used for monitoring heart rate and for checking time. However, the usage goes beyond that. With smartwatches, you can schedule important alerts & reminders which you can receive while you’re at the gym or attending a meeting. It can send you reminders in places where you can’t carry your smartphones. In a way it helps add value to your life by minimizing your struggle as an employee. 

So what other ways can a wearable minimize your struggles as an employee? 

It Enhances Your Performance at the Workplace

According to Dr Chris Brauer currently employed at the Institute of Management Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London, employees who use wearable technologies at the workplace saw an increase in their overall productivity growing up by 8.5%. 

One of the participants who participated in the study shared his personal experience, 

“The benefits of wearing NeuroSky during my work day is that, on some level, this whole experiment at work made me more aware of my productivity,”

There are many organizations who can’t afford the NeuroSky devices so an app alternative could be the answer to their problem. For example Weekdone or iDoneThis are a great alternative 

They can increase employees’ awareness and help them increase their productivity overall. 

Wearables can Increase Work Satisfaction for Employees

When you opt-in for wearables at the workplace, it not only contributes to increasing a business’s ROI. In fact, employees who use wearables within an organizational setting are normally found more satisfied in comparison to employees who do not wear any wearables. So wearable plays an important role in showing an increased job satisfaction. 

For instance, employees can wear RFID badges to access authorized personnel only spaces. Another great example of such a wearable are smart glasses which can provide immediate information. 

They allow workers to perform complicated tasks. For instance, smart glasses can help you troubleshoot complicated projects and access technical diagrams. 

Wearables Can Improve Employee Well-Being

Almost 21% of the entire UK working class citizens use wearable technologies. 

These technologies help individuals to keep their focus on health & fitness as concluded in the study by Vision Critical. They measured the results collected from more than 2,000 responses collected from U.K. consumers back in the year 2014. And they were simply amazed to find an astounding increase of 65% of participants explaining how wearables have enhanced living standards. 

As Dr. Brauer’s study explained, 

“What I have found, though, is that taking a few minutes to breathe deeply and collect yourself does help in those times when you feel overwhelmed; it recharges you,”

For example, employees who are concerned about bad eating habits can wear a smartwatch which can help them track their eating habits. Employees who either sleep too much or too less can experience a slow work performance. But when they can monitor their sleeping habits, they can perform better at their work & make the most out of their capabilities at the workplace. 

Posture Monitors Can Help Correct Employee’s Postures

As an employee, one of the most problematic situations you may find yourself in is when your shoulders start drooping or your spine starts curling because of a bad posture. When you wear a wearable device such as a smartwatch, it will tell you when you’re getting in a slouchy mode. You can even set timers to send you a notification explaining when you should improve your posture. 

Good posture overall increases your body’s blood flow and enhances your mental activity. 

Correct posture will increase your focus and help you stay well motivated and energetic. You will get more productive and produce worthwhile results. 

More Can Be Done with the Passage of Time

Wearable technologies are evolving and bringing more integrations with the passage of time. As employees feel more motivated to grow themselves in the business world, wearables provide a great deal of benefit in facilitating the workflows, and minimizing implications that become hindrance in one’s productivity. From data storage to security, we observe the future can be well enhanced. 

Are there any particular wearables which you believe are worth discussing? Feel free to comment.