British research team presents concept for integrating relevant technology

Employers are increasingly using wearable technologies to monitor their employees. The advantages and disadvantages of digital monitoring are currently the subject of heated debate.

Researchers at the University of Surrey have now presented a systematic concept for integrating such technologies. This covers the entire spectrum from smartwatches to biosensors. Their research findings have been published in the Human Resource Management Journal.

Real-time information

The new concept shows why and how wearable electronic devices can transform human resource management. They provide real-time insights into the well-being and performance indicators of employees. This also includes guidelines on privacy, consent and data management.

The researchers analysed 74 workplace studies on the use of wearable electronic devices. It was found that most of these applications focus on monitoring well-being and health-related behaviours. However, many of these measures lack transparency. Employees often do not know how the collected data is used. Companies, in turn, often lack consistent guidelines – both for analysing such data and for protecting sensitive personal data.

Precise guidelines needed

According to co-author Sebastiano Massaro, wearable electronic devices provide unprecedented real-time signals. For example, they indicate increasing stress even before burnout occurs, or safety hazards even before an accident. ‘Without stable methodological and ethical guidelines, there is a problematic blurring of boundaries,’ says Massaro, between science and pseudoscience, and between support and dangerous surveillance of employees.

The study also shows how wearables are currently being used in workplace studies. According to the scientists, informed consent, anonymisation, transparency, employee autonomy, data minimisation and fair restrictions on data use are crucial.

Important communication

Wearables can already monitor sleep quality, detect stress markers, recognise physical activity and even provide insights into team dynamics. However, if this use of data is not clearly communicated, these possibilities can also have the opposite effect. The collection of data is then perceived as intrusive surveillance rather than support. This, in turn, can have a negative impact on trust and workplace culture.