The wearable technology market has enjoyed considerable growth over the years. Since the advent of the wristwatch, wearable technologies have evolved faster than you can say LTE connectivity.
These technologies are reshaping fashion, our lifestyles, and not least, the way we work. In fact, many predict that wearables are going to transform enterprises and how they tick over.
Embracing employee wearables
Wearables are, for sure, quite a large part of your employees' lives – well, for those who have it, anyway. From Apple Paying their way onto public transport during their commute to getting calendar reminders for meetings and appointments, your workforce will already be using their wearables to boost their productivity and help them keep organised.
This paves a clear-cut path for enterprises to embark on. How can enterprises bring wearables and their advantages to the entire workforce?
Firstly, it's worth pointing out that there is no better time than the present for enterprise wearables. In particular, 5G is on its way to bring us speedier mobile broadband and drive Internet of Things. At the same time, bring your own device culture, though flawed in parts, has proven advantageous for some businesses to boost productivity. Together, these point to a space that could easily be dedicated to wearables in the workplace.
The uses for customer wearable technologies are pretty evident in that organisations can do a lot with the insights gained. However, the use cases for employee wearable technologies perhaps don't present themselves as easily, but they are there.
Exploring use cases for your industry
In particular, employees can use these devices for internal communication. The uses vary from industry to industry, but are there none-the-less. For example, in hospitality and events, staff can take advantage of smartwatches for their discreet voice communication. It might seem a little bit action movie, but it will help staff communicate updates across the floor without having to physically find each other at the venue to find out.
In manufacturing, wearable technologies can improve safety. Given that the nature of the work is so physical, employees could use a wearable device that would remind them to take breaks and of the correct formation when carrying out tasks such as heavy lifting. Not only that, but wearables could warn staff of dangers in their surroundings, such as spills or equipment faults.
The main intent for wearables will most likely always be improved efficiency and productivity. However, as shown in manufacturing, its uses can seep into other areas such as safety. Thus, it is up to your organisation to navigate how wearables will transform your environment.
Why not check out our CxO of the Week, Olivier Cauderlier at Flamingo Ai?
