More than half (57%) of employee respondents would be open to wearing an employer-paid fitness band or similar device during working hours to help monitor their health and wellbeing, according to research by Axa PPP Healthcare.
Its research, which is based on a survey of 1,249 working UK adults as part of its annual State of the nation report, also found that almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents would wear a fitness band during working hours if their employer provided the device and a financial bonus for wearing it at work.
Among those respondents that are open to wearing a fitness band at work, 58% would be comfortable sharing the data generated with their employer if it helped with the organisation’s employee health and wellbeing programmes.
The research also found that 5% of respondents are currently offered health technology by their employer.
Dr Chris Tomkins (pictured), head of proactive health at Axa PPP Healthcare, said: “The increased use of health tech within the workplace could so easily be a win-win for both employer and employee. For the first time it is possible to support an individual throughout their journey from better understanding of their health to actual improvements through smart digital platforms.
“Furthermore, there are often staff schemes with open platforms that enable individuals to use and share information from their own personal devices, ensuring their contribution is recognised.
“Of course, some individuals are naturally concerned about how their data is used and employers are keen to have a clear separation between themselves and such personal data. Therefore, both employer and employee could benefit from the expertise of using an independent third-party provider who can ensure privacy.”
