Fitness trackers and activity monitors are becoming increasingly popular among consumers as ways to monitor their movements and better manage their health. These tools are such hot items right now that Apple has created a dream team of technology experts to develop the next stage of wearable technology, according to Apple Insider. IHS noted in a 2013 paper that the wearable device market could be worth between $50 trillion and $60 trillion by 2018, with medical devices leading the charge. Technology market research company ABI Research suggested last year that there will be 485 million annual shipments of these devices by 2018.
Companies across the country are becoming involved in the fitness and activity device market as many implement corporate wellness programs as part of their workforce management strategies to reduce worker health care costs and boost employee productivity. Yet can these devices have a positive impact on worker health, or should they be scrapped from companies' wellness initiatives and workforce management approaches because they aren't worth the investment?
Why fitness trackers and activity monitors are popular
People are using tech tools to track their fitness and overall health more often because these devices give wearers insight into how much they are truly moving throughout the day, how many calories they burned and their heart rates, to name just a few features. According to an article on MarketWatch, the technology aims to prolong users' lives and works as a type of preventive care. The idea is that the more data a person has on his or her own health, the better able the individual and his or her physician will be to pinpoint health risk factors and monitor chronic conditions. In fact, these devices are becoming so sophisticated that some can even monitor workers' sleep cycles, which is an important aspect of health.
It is these benefits that are driving more companies to implement the devices within their wellness programs, which often are already in place to improve workers' health and well-being. According to online resource CIO, activity monitors also increase competition between workers in wellness programs, motivating them to exercise more or eat nutritious foods to earn prizes for being the most active. CIO reported that this workforce management strategy helped one liberal arts college in Maine boost camaraderie among its workers and increase cost savings.
Why companies should be wary of implementing wearable devices
Despite all of these advantages, CNN Fortune reported many people stop using their activity trackers as the long-term appeal of wearable fitness and activity trackers isn't very high. The devices can help workers make positive, lasting changes to their activity levels, but remembering and wearing the devices can become a hassle for some. According to an article in Inc. magazine, asking employees to use activity monitors and trackers may be overly intrusive into workers' personal lives and may not even end up saving companies money.
"Do you really need to see that Jane, apparently, sits on the couch every Saturday and Sunday, while Steve is a jogger[?]" the article asked. "Will you hold that information against them, subtly labeling Jane as lazy, regardless of actual work performance?"
The article even noted there could be hard feelings among workers participating in wellness programs using these devices, as some employees may feel discouraged when they see their colleagues achieving greater results. Even if workers hit their own fitness and health goals, too much competition can be harmful to employees' well-being and overall morale.
HR professionals need to be aware of the positive and negative effects implementing wearable fitness trackers in the workplace has on employees. While these devices may have numerous benefits for employers and workers alike, it may not be the best workplace management strategy for some offices.