BBC Worlds News Interview
In August 2015, Dr Juliet Hassard appeared on BBC World News as part of the weekly Business Report. She was invited to comment on an article published in the Times, which examined the growing trend among businesses to make increased use of mobile forms of fitness technology (e.g., FitBit, Vivofit, etc) in the workplace as a way in which to support employee health and decrease sickness absence.
In August 2015, Dr Juliet Hassard appeared on BBC World News as part of the weekly Business Report. She was invited to comment on an article published in the Times, which examined the growing trend among businesses to make increased use of mobile forms of fitness technology (e.g., FitBit, Vivofit, etc.) in the workplace as a way in which to support employee health and decrease sickness absence.
Dr Hassard highlighted two important considerations regarding this global and growing trend. Firstly, she queried whether employers should have access to the personal and health-related data collected and monitored by these devices first and foremost; and, if so, she emphasised the central importance of companies critically reflecting on how this sensitive data is stored, manged and used. Secondly, Dr Hassard argued that the use of mobile forms of fitness technology in the workplace in insolation would not yield sizable changes to employee health and, in turn, sickness absence levels. She stated that in order to successfully address and promote work-related health the use of a comprehensive strategy is paramount. Such a strategy would support activities to encourage and motivate individuals to improve their physical and mental wellbeing, but would also seek to address and improve working conditions.
Dr Hassard argued that only through a comprehensive strategy can businesses aim to significantly improve workplace health and, in the long term, sizably decrease sickness absence levels. Dr Hassard concluded that the use of mobile forms of fitness technology are a useful tool to promote the wellbeing of workers, but must be part of a larger and more comprehensive workplace health management strategy.