Wearable devices are rapidly penetrating the enterprise market, and changes are inevitable

On December 15, according to foreign media reports, the emergence of wearable devices has swept the industry like a hurricane. From watches to glasses to head-mounted devices, clothes and accessories based on chips and built-in sensors have come into people's vision. More importantly, this market does not seem to be slowing down. In fact, according to data from IDTechEx, it is estimated that the size of the wearable device market may exceed US$7 billion by 2024.

Wearable devices in the workplace will also become ubiquitous, especially in large high-tech companies known for innovation and change. If companies hear that they can monitor their employees' every move at any time, what employer would not want to try it? Putting aside the acceptance of employees, this will be an excellent way to improve work efficiency.

For some companies, wearables will significantly improve the accuracy of company workflow and productivity measurements. Using the data collected from these devices, companies will gain a new level of understanding of their employees.

Wearable devices use big data to redefine human resources

The emergence of wearable devices allows companies to collect large amounts of data and information about their employees on a daily basis, allowing them to conduct predictive analysis of future arrangements based on employee data.

In addition, employees themselves see wearables as a real opportunity. A study of 1,000 American adults by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) showed that 77% of respondents believed that one of the most important benefits of wearable technology is that it can make them more efficient at work and tap into their potential. 46% said they believe companies should invest in wearable technology for their employees.

The big data information collected by these wearable devices can improve productivity, increase employee engagement, and even potentially reduce the number of sick days taken by employees. Utilizing this data may also change the existing incentive mechanism to a great extent. Wearable devices not only allow employees to attend meetings anytime and anywhere, but the real value to companies will be the ability to gain real-time insight and collect employee information.

For example, wearables can make it very easy for employers to track how their employees spend their time and quickly identify those who are not being productive. This information could have a huge impact on a company’s ROI and lead to new ways to increase employee engagement based on their personal preferences and habits.

The real-time insights and analytical capabilities provided by wearable devices can even help new employees better integrate into the company. For example, onboarding and training manuals pre-loaded on wearable devices are a good idea. Given that many high-tech giants face the challenge of attracting and retaining top talent, ensuring that the employer-employee relationship is moving in the right direction from day one will be an important issue in ensuring employee loyalty.

Even more powerful is the application of wearable technology in medical and health. The health functions of wearable devices, such as the health tracking application of Fitbit or Samsung Gear, will allow employers to understand the personal habits of employees. Employers may find that employees are in poor health and need to lose weight or improve other health indicators; they can even track employees' body posture, such as sitting or standing.

It sounds creepy, but imagine if a wearable product could advise employees to take the stairs instead of the elevator, or eat healthy instead of junk food. Then, the employer could reward them for the choices they made. It would be an ideal situation, employees get healthier, and employers can reduce employees' sick days.

An employee privacy nightmare?

As with any new technology, there are always security and privacy issues. Wearables are likely to compound this problem. According to the PwC survey cited earlier, 82% of respondents are concerned that wearables will infringe on their privacy, while 86% believe that wearables make them more vulnerable to data security breaches. If you lose your smartphone or tablet , the information can be easily wiped. The question is, can wearables provide the same functionality?

Wearables can tap into some of the most sensitive information, making them an ideal target for hackers. Connecting to unsecured WiFi networks outside the workplace can easily allow information on employees’ wearables to be stolen. Of course, the data-sharing capabilities of wearables can also put sensitive business information in the wrong hands. As more employees use their own personal wearables in the workplace, keeping that information secure will become a daunting task.

The inevitable new world

Wearable devices can provide us with more accurate data on work efficiency and details by sensing employees’ daily work. If used correctly and with appropriate safety measures, wearable devices can empower the workforce to be more engaged, make employees more efficient, and increase corporate competitiveness.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.