Key Applications of Wearable Devices in the Workplace

Privacy issues have grown alongside the IoT, and monitoring devices to track employees' health is essential.

FREMONT, CA: Wearables track how well work is getting done in factories, warehouses, and other places and warn workers if they are too close to danger. It's not a new idea to give workers devices that let them know when they can do their jobs better or when something is dangerous. But wearable technology can also help with health and wellness. It can help keep track of movements like bending over and reaching, making it an ergonomic map—a place for hourly workers to get work done and connect.

An ergonomic map gathered data from wearables to show how things like repeated movements and work posture could harm a person's health. For instance,

wearables could track how a worker in a warehouse or factory bends over to lift things. If they raise their back instead of their legs, they are more likely to hurt their back if they do this repeatedly. It would be a trend that the ergonomic map would highlight to show a possible risk.

People are increasingly wearing smartwatches and fitness trackers. In the workplace, wearing wearables outside of the office opens potential doors. Some organizations have supplied health trackers to employees to leverage insurance reductions and encourage better lifestyles. The epidemic spurred businesses to think creatively about wearables for health purposes. Workers were given bracelets that buzzed within 6 feet of another individual. The purpose of this program was to assist them in reopening their facilities safely and by local health requirements.

For instance, MHI and Deloitte surveyed more than 1,000 supply chain professionals. Stafford described a Walmart program that provided each of the company's 740,000 employees with a smartphone for personal usage and to connect with coworkers, manage their work schedules, and conducts work-related duties, such as moving merchandise. Wearable technology, such as smartphones, can provide a much-needed connection and communication channel throughout the workplace. Wearables can increase productivity by enabling employees to receive prompt responses to questions or by offering a task-based checklist.