Wearable technology for health and wellbeing

The full and original article was published on HR Magazine

Bringing wearable tech into organisations as part of wellbeing initiatives raises some interesting questions. For instance, how best to introduce and promote them to employees? What advantages do they offer the employer? And crucially, what should and should not be done with the data?

Collecting data via devices such as fitness trackers and collating it in a way that is meaningful is potentially very useful when it comes to creating or refining wellbeing strategies. Observing data collected over time will highlight any significant changes – for example, whether there is a general improvement in the health of the workforce – and may therefore help in demonstrating return on investment.

It’s important to accept that not all employees will want to use wearable technology, even when it is handed to them free of charge. Any misgivings employees have can be allayed by making it clear that data generated from fitness tracking devices will only be used at an aggregated level. Individuals remain anonymous. And of course in the unlikely event of an employer doing otherwise – for example, by attempting to identify someone less fit than the norm – it would fall foul of the Equality Act.

The best way to approach a wearable device wellbeing initiative will, then, vary between organisations. But what does seem certain is that as tech-savvy Generation Y increasingly comes to the fore in the workplace – at the same time as older employees are generally working for longer, and need to stay fit to do so – the conditions seem right to fuel the rise of wearable technology for wellness.