At the last Employer Healthcare & Benefits Congress, attendees had the opportunity to participate in a survey regarding employer use of wearables in the workplace in exchange for a free wearable device.
Over 300 human resource and wellness professionals responded, giving the CHWA a unique look at how employers are succeeding - and failing - with their wearable device programs. The results of the survey were published as The State of Wearables in the Workplace, which is available as a free download through the CHWA.
Key findings include:
- Nearly two-thirds of employers do not currently offer, or plan to offer, wearable devices in their corporate wellness programs.
- Almost a third of employers consider lack of knowledge a primary factor that has kept them from implementing wearables in the workplace.
- More than three-quarters of employers indicate they want to accomplish increasing their users' physical activity if they were to implement a wearable program.
- Data collection and device use will help employers determine whether to subsidize the costs or portion of wearable devices within their wearables programs.
In essence, worksite use of wearable devices is growing. But this growth is held back by a lack of knowledge about what device to use, how to select a device and how these devices can help employers grow and how they improve employee lives and health.
Before wearable devices gain more traction in the workplace, wearable device manufacturers need to address these concerns.
Employers also need answers regarding data privacy and security. To help address this concern, the EHBC will host a keynote "Fireside Chat" on Tuesday September 27, at 9:00am. Speakers include Seth Cohen VP, Strategic Accounts & Alliances, Castlight Health; Dr. Bruce Rogen, Chief Medical Director, Cleveland Clinic Employee Health Plan; and Dr. Nick van Terheyden, Chief Medical Officer, Dell Services Healthcare & Life Sciences.
