Vantage | How much does your employer need to know about your health?

In an era where corporate wellness programmes are on the rise, companies are increasingly interested in an unexpected asset — your body. However, what might sound initially creepy is, in reality, a focus on your health rather than invasive monitoring for other purposes.

Constant health surveillance If you find yourself part of a workplace fitness programme, using a health monitoring app, or wearing a fitness tracker, you’re part of a growing phenomenon – constant health surveillance. This practice has become increasingly prevalent in workplaces, where employee health is viewed as a valuable source of intelligence. Your company, through health monitors on your wrist, can collect a wealth of sensitive data -– from the number of steps you take to your heart rate, sleep patterns and more. While this may seem like an intrusion into your personal life, companies argue that it’s a means to promote healthier lifestyles among employees. Incentives and rewards Companies often entice employees to voluntarily participate in health monitoring programmes through cash rewards or reduced insurance premiums. For example, IBM offers $150 for meeting health targets, while UnitedHealthcare provides $1,500 in reimbursements on health benefit plans. In some cases, companies take wellness incentives to the extreme, replacing traditional bonuses with health rewards systems. In China, a company ties year-end bonuses to employees’ running achievements, sparking ethical debates about using bonuses as bargaining chips. Benefits versus concerns Proponents argue that such programmes benefit both employees and companies. Healthier employees are more productive and companies can keep insurance costs down. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of these programmes is mixed and concerns about privacy and ethics persist. The major issue is the invasion of privacy. Should employers be able to track your sleep or other personal health data? What happens to this data and could it be used against employees, perhaps in denying promotions or sold to insurance companies? While the global corporate wellness market is booming, the question remains: Does monitoring employees actually help? Many studies suggest limited effectiveness and the ethical and privacy concerns are paramount. Companies must tread a fine line when implementing wellness programmes, ensuring that they boost employee health without crossing ethical boundaries. Independent third-party oversight and adherence to strict privacy guidelines can help strike a balance between employee well-being and privacy concerns. After all, a healthier workplace should prioritise better work-life balance over constant surveillance, as employees deserve more than just a pedometer on their wrists. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.