It’s already getting tough to remember life in the office before smartphones—which will soon be true of wearable devices such as smart watches too. This is why it’s time to start thinking about crafting new policies to protect your data and manage this next wave of technology in the workplace.
Market research firm Vanson Bourne—amongst many, many others—is predicting wearable tech will be the next big thing. Already 1 in 10 consumers in the United Kingdom owns such a device, and a third of the others are planning to buy one within two years. Wearable tech is evolving fast and already includes items ranging from contact lenses to clothing.
At its best, wearable tech can increase business productivity and collaboration. But as management consulting firm Janco Associates Inc. warns, wearable tech can also pose a potential security risk, given it can connect to the Internet, store data, and often features cameras and microphones. Janco Associates’ 17-page sample workplace policy covers everything from legal implications to encryption standards.
“Consumer-grade gadgets don't always have rigorous encryption and other protections to safeguard personal data, which could leave companies exposed to data leaks or theft,” reports Bloomberg. Meanwhile employees worry about a lack of privacy if their employer can track them with these devices.
You can protect your company from potential wearable technology risks by including policies for:
- Acceptable and forbidden uses for personal and company-owned technology, including which devices and applications the company approves and when they may be used.
- Passwords and encryption.
- Privacy, for both employees and customers.
- How to handle lost or stolen devices.
One efficient way to approach the issue is to examine and update your existing technology policies. Policies alone are not enough though.
“Employers should also take time to educate employees on the potential liabilities involved in using wearables, both personally and for the company, since some of these devices are essentially surveillance equipment,” Joe Siegrist, CEO of password management company LastPass, wrote in FierceCIO. “Many employees probably don't realize that just by wearing something that records audio, they could be breaking the law,” and those laws vary by state.
Wearables are weaving technology ever deeper into our day-to-day lives. Crafting a smart wearables policy—before you get in trouble from lacking one—is the proactive way to ensure you can harness the potential, while minimizing the risks.