3 ways wearable technology promotes wellness in the workplace

There are new tools to help promote wellness in the workplace that your business can take advantage of. Fitness trackers and smart watches are just a few of the wearables that are simplifying people’s lives and in some cases, even encouraging healthier lifestyles. When you  and your employees embrace new connected technology, it can benefit their personal and professional lives. Here are some ways wearable technologies are promoting wellness in the workplace.

Builds morale

It’s one thing to promote work-life balance, but it’s another to look at how your company is specifically engaging employees through its wellness program. Employees will be willing to invest in wearable tech if they perceive a tangible benefit. By making activity tracking a social event, you can foster healthy competition and a sense of community in the workplace. When employees are engaged, they feel valued!

Increases productivity

Incorporating wearable technologies into your company’s wellness program can lead also to increased productivity in the workplace. The findings of the Human Cloud at Work study, revealed that employees who used wearable tech saw productivity boost 8.5% and job satisfaction improve by 3.5% during the course of the study. An added benefit of wearables that promote wellness is that they reduce stress. When you exercise, you release endorphins, and other feel-good chemicals in your body that boosts happiness and fights stress. Your body also releases the BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) protein, which acts as another reparative and protective chemical against stress.

Reduces company costs

A well-executed wellness program improves employee health, decreasing absenteeism and reducing company healthcare expenses. A healthy employee is a happier, more productive employee who will be less expensive to insure. More and more employers are recognizing this as they see the cost benefits of providing wearables to employees as an incentive. Some are partnering up with wearable tech companies to offer employees wearables at a reduced price. Over the long run, investing in employees’ well-being benefits not only the employee but also the employer. No matter what your workplace wellness goals are, it’s clear that the benefits of promoting wearable technologies in the workplace are well worth the investment.