Wearable technology was previously viewed as nothing more than a novelty. Google Glass flopped catastrophically because, among other things, customers were terrified of being called names while wearing it. Wearable technology, on the other hand, has improved in terms of innovation and intelligence during the last few years.

Wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers continue to be quite popular among consumers. While total wearables sales have decreased in recent years, prominent brands such as Apple continue to profit from popular items such as the Apple Watch.

However, the future of wearable technology may not be solely dependent on customers. Observers in the IT industry expect that wearable technology will become increasingly beneficial in the future workplace. Some businesses have already embraced wearable devices such as ID trackers. Wearable technology appears ready to radically impact the workplaces of the future in various ways:

Employers can easily keep track of their employees thanks to wearables.

Wearable technology’s most exciting aspect is also it is most feared. Businesses may track their employees down to their GPS location using wearables such as smartwatches. Far from being expensive, even a low-cost smartwatch can be used to track thousands of employees no matter where they are in the world. It has elevated employee time tracking to new heights.

In real-world situations, this has both positive and negative ramifications. On the one hand, an employee tracking system can monitor employees who may be assigned to dangerous tasks, assuring their safety. Employers can also follow a worker’s movements outside of the workplace using a wearable tracker or smartwatch.

Employees, on the other hand, would give up a large amount of privacy if they were strapped to a wearable given by their company. This method has already resulted in a slew of privacy issues. Companies will have to strike a balance in the future between the requirement to account for employees and the privacy of individual workers when wearables are used.

Keep track of your employees’ productivity and health.

Employers can not only watch their employees’ physical whereabouts with wearable devices, but they can also check their performance. The Australian National Football Team was the best at putting this feature to the test. When the ANF team went on tour abroad, their coaches wanted to know how well their players were doing at home.

They came up with a unique answer in the form of the Apple Watch. Even when they were sleeping, the athletes wore Apple Watches. A smartphone app received data from the Watch, including sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, and other features. This app was used by the coaches to keep track of every facet of the athletes’ routines.

Similar devices can be used by other firms to track employee performance based on sleep, heart rate, and other parameters. Fitness trackers, which are similar to smartwatches, provide a lot more information that businesses can use to monitor their employees’ development.

Employers, like the ANF, might use wearables to evaluate employee health and wellness. Consider the job of an air traffic controller. It is critical for everyone working in this area to obtain enough sleep at night. Supervisors can use smartwatches or fitness trackers to monitor whether staff gets enough to sleep instead of staying up late Netflixing to enforce such health standards.

Wearables have a lot of potential for allowing employers to track their employees’ health, which is linked to their productivity at work. Health monitoring is necessary for calculating employee stress levels, which is a key component in some occupations.

Ensure that people arrive on time.

Employees may no longer need to sign in or out at work thanks to wearable devices such as ID trackers and smartwatches. The devices may detect when an employee is at his or her desk and when he or she leaves for a break. It is possible to eliminate the requirement to manually track employee hours.

Employees would be required to wear a tracker while at work and before arriving. It could also put an end to arguments over working hours. Employers can also utilize the information to determine the ideal work hours and breaks based on employee performance.

Access Control

Low-cost wearable electronics can be used to regulate access to certain locations in the workplace, similar to how they can be used to track worker arrivals and departures. Employees can utilize ID tags to gain access to restricted places or equipment instead of wasting time typing in passcodes.

A wearable gadget and a smartphone app were used by Lundin Norway, an offshore oil business, to limit employee access to industrial equipment. Workers had to manually enter data to gain access to restricted locations and maintain or operate equipment before this approach was implemented. With the introduction of wearables, this process became more streamlined. As a result, Lundin was able to considerably improve labor efficiency.

Wearables have the potential to minimize barriers to restricting access to restricted areas, which would benefit both workers and employers. Wearable technology allows employees to save time acquiring access, while companies may strengthen current security infrastructure and better protect property.

Employees are kept up to date in real time.

Lundin also used wearable devices to keep engineers up to date in real-time. Wearables are a considerably better option than laptops or cellphones for updating employees with specific information.

When a smartwatch or a tracker will suffice, employees won’t need to log into an app or an email account to receive notifications. This streamlined the procedure and increased productivity, as Lundin discovered. While Lundin updated staff at a single location, other firms may use wearables to keep employees up to date no matter where they are in the world.

Employers do not need to pay extra money on international calls or connections because smartphones may be updated via an internet connection. Employers can use a smartwatch to gain fast access to employees who are in the workplace or away. As a result, employers can better manage a virtual workforce.

Conclusion

Wearables may appear to be a tiny step forward in terms of technological improvements, but they are poised to revolutionize the way businesses are run. Even for a small firm, the gadgets are very reasonable, and using the technology is extremely cost-effective. Wearable technology has the potential to significantly alter future workplaces as a result of these benefits.