Technology Promises A Safer Return To Work, But Don’t Forget The (Virtual) Human Touch

President and Chief Executive Officer at Insight Enterprises, helping clients manage their business today and transform for the future.

As we see various corners of the economy opening back up, we're facing a new challenge: Holding ourselves to a higher standard of safety as our employees return to the workplace. This is a business continuity issue, but more importantly, it's a leadership issue.

As the dialogue around when and how to return to work continues to evolve, we must ensure we're viewing this through the lens of not just what will be good for business but what is best for the well-being of our people.

It should come as no surprise that technology is foundational to the safe and successful reopening of the economy. Many organizations, including my own, are experimenting with new systems to help promote healthier practices in the workplace. Such technologies include thermal cameras to detect elevated human temperatures, smart hand-sanitizing stations with RFID sensors in employee badges to promote usage and compliance, mobile apps to screen employees for health risks before they go to work each day and AI-equipped cameras and cones with smart sensors to manage traffic flow and maintain social distancing in the workplace — and that's just the beginning.

In our just-released Insight 2020 Intelligent Technology Pulse, surveying IT leaders on the impact of COVID-19 on business readiness, 58% said they're planning to invest in smart personal hygiene devices and 35% plan to acquire infrared thermometers to monitor temperatures and detect at-risk individuals. One-third intend to implement an Internet of Things ecosystem and all-encompassing data platform to centralize and operate their return-to-work technologies.

The deployment of smart technology to create safer spaces is exciting, but it won't be successful without effective leadership and the understanding that, for many employees, this remains a frightening time. Here are some essential steps business leaders should take to address their employees' concerns as they implement new technology to facilitate reopening:

1. Avoid stigma. Various camera technologies can identify employees running a fever or who aren't wearing masks, creating an opportunity for individuals to feel "singled out" if a problem is detected. That's bad for morale and team cohesion. It is critical that organizations using these types of technology create discreet processes for taking action without drawing the attention of other colleagues. In our case, we're in the process of installing thermal cameras and contactless temperature screening kiosks at entryways across our larger North American facilities. We're mindful of how we manage a teammate and not causing undue embarrassment or concern when an elevated temperature is detected. That may mean an instant text notification or having an on-site human resources leader inconspicuously asking the teammate to literally cool off in a quiet space before having their temperature retaken. We're also configuring our thermal cameras to compensate for environmental factors that may affect readouts, especially given that some climates, like our Arizona headquarters, naturally cause overheating that has nothing to do with illness.

2. Protect employee privacy. Intelligent technologies — cameras, AI and sensors — can, for some employees, raise the specter of surveillance. However, this is not the intended purpose. When it comes to protecting employee safety, we must consider their privacy in addition to their physical well-being. For example, organizations should implement firm limits on what data they store, particularly in compliance with HIPAA, and anonymize data as appropriate. In addition, businesses must remain cognizant of complying with all regulations related to data privacy and security — and they should carefully vet all technology providers/vendors to ensure they're in compliance as well.

3. Synthesize information. Smart technology is ultimately limited by our ability to make sense of and act on the data gathered. Installing cameras, sensors and other IoT-enabled devices without the infrastructure to analyze all the information they capture creates an ineffective system and hinders businesses' ability to adequately protect employees coming back to work. Organizations must look at the full picture — what information you need to keep employees safe and what tools you need to gather that — in order to make the right investments.

4. Tech might not be enough for everyone. At a fundamental human level, some employees may simply feel uncomfortable returning to work or, in the case of the immunocompromised, in a position not to come back anytime soon. Thus, all the technology in the world can't replace the power of communication. Leaders must clearly articulate their plans for return-to-work, who needs to come back and when, who can choose to continue to work remotely, the safety precautions being established and, finally, how technology is helping the plan come to fruition. At the end of the day, we want our workers to embrace extra precautions designed with their well-being in mind, not fearing the unknowns of a new technology or frustrated by new rules they don't fully understand. Persistent communication coupled with the flexibility of maintaining work-from-home options will keep everyone in a good place.

The innovations we've seen emerge from the COVID-19 crisis have been truly amazing. Technology is playing an important role in helping us tackle this health crisis and adjust how we live and work each day. But, as always, it is not a silver bullet. It has to be deployed thoughtfully and with people top-of-mind.

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