5 Ways AI Will Shape The Future Of Employee Wellness

Considering the rapid advancement of technology and ever-increasing priority of employee wellbeing, it comes as no surprise that AI (artificial intelligence) is expected to shape the future of wellness in the workplace. This advanced technology has many prospective applications for employee wellness industry and offers a promising future for the efficacy of company initiatives from all angles.

1. Feedback Optimization

One major improvement offered by AI technology is the ability to minimize the time spent in feedback loops between lower-level employees and upper-level executives. Simpler methods of feedback collection consist of inefficient practices, such as physical distribution of surveys and manual analysis. Not only are these methods prone to unintentional human error, but they also demand a substantial amount of time and consequently, produce very little impact to the employee experience.

However, with digital distribution and analysis of surveys, employee feedback can be collected and evaluated in a fraction of the time. Although digital feedback collection is already a widely used practice, there is promise of even greater efficiency with the use of AI. The capability of AI goes beyond simply analyzing multiple choice and general questions; natural-language processing can interpret and consolidate open-ended responses with incredible efficiency. This way, less time will be used on assessing responses and more time can be devoted to actually implementing changes to improve employee experience.

2. Diversity and Equality

As many companies have faced social and even legal consequences regarding the diversity of their work force, employers are focusing on creating more inclusive work environments. It holds true that only a quarter of senior roles in business are held by women, and two-thirds of the executive positions of Fortune 500 companies are held by white men.

Application of AI technology in selection and recruitment of talent can ensure fairer selection of talent. Similarly, it can level out prejudice in ongoing performance reviews and compensation policies. AI can make logical decisions without the race or gender-based biases that frequently exist, intentionally or subconsciously, in human decision-making. Organizations prosper with diversity, as having a variety of different viewpoints and backgrounds serves as a valuable asset that contributes to growth and development. Moreover, this technology will ensure that companies hire the best talent, as prospective employees are analyzed logically, exclusively based on capability and qualifications.

Pertaining to employee wellness, utilization of these methods can offer businesses a lot of benefits, boosting morale and improving company culture. Many individuals would prefer, and even take pride in working for a more socially progressive organization. Employees will feel motivated knowing that they are valued based on their talent and skill.

3. Informing Financial Decisions

In order to take advantage of financial wellness offerings, employees are often faced with difficult decisions. While the availability of choice may make for a more personalized and ultimately, better financial benefits package, many employees are lacking the proper judgment to make an optimal decision for themselves.

A decision-making platform, constructed to analyze an employee’s information as well as predict their health risk, will allow individuals to make an informed decisions regarding a benefits package. The program can provide recommendations that allow employees to take advantage of available benefits to the fullest extent, improving both their experience and financial security.

4. Wearable Technology Advancement

Wearable technology has become an integral part of modern health maintenance for many Americans. These devices have the ability to track users’ heart rate, their walking distance, and how many calories they burn.

It is reasonable to assume that, as the popularity of wearable devices continues to increase, the technology powering them will continue to advance as well. Although it is difficult to predict exactly where this technology is headed, many believe that wearable devices will eventually be able to accurately interpret human emotion. The application of this technological capacity in the wellness industry would include allowing employees to more effectively manage their work day by, for instance, determining the root of their stress or knowing when to take a break. It would essentially grant individuals with the ability to constantly optimize their emotional state.

5. Personalization Of Wellness Programs

AI has the potential to impact the wellness industry by offering improved functionality in employee wellness programs through personalization. The technology could classify participants into groups, based on their personalities and preferences, and offer a better user experience. The new programs could leverage individuals’ personal goals or motivators to encourage them to participant more actively.

Constant innovation of the efforts surrounding employee wellness will assist in yielding the most optimal outcomes. AI has already started to integrate with many current wellness efforts, and its growing presence increases the expectation of wellness being achieved on a broad scale.