If you’ve been following or reading my weekly drivel for any period of time now, you know how I feel about smartphones.

I resisted purchasing a smartphone because I saw everyone else walking around with their heads down, constantly staring at these addicting electronic distractions.

This past winter I jumped into the smartphone pool and purchased a BLU phone from the Microsoft Store.

I’ll have to admit, within the first two weeks of owning BLU the device saved my arse. My main VOIP coaching line went down due to Time Warner Cable internet problems. So, thankfully I was able to speak with clients uninterrupted during this shaky technical period.

Now a few of my friends are trying to convince me to purchase a wearable. Have you heard about this?

Wearable devices are the hot toys that track your steps, sleep, calories burned, heart beat etc.  Fitbit, Jawbone, Zephyr, Apple et al. are a few companies in this emerging space.

Wearables, primarily used for health and sports enthusiasts, are playing an instrumental role in an emerging industry called Personal Analytics; HR departments taking a data driven approach to managing human capital.

For example, one company is tracking the correlation of sleep patterns and sales performance of the sales team. Interesting.

The red flag in tracking employees this way is the breach of privacy and security. I know I wouldn’t want my information being monitored 24/7.

How will companies make this gingerly walk across the landscape of taking personal data to improve performance yet ensuring your privacy and security are protected? We shall see.

Will I be purchasing a wearable device any time soon? Nyet! 🙂 Though, never say never.

Photo courtesy of N I C O L A.

This weeks guest post is from Jennifer Lawhead, Corporate Communications Manager at my assessment company, TTI SI.

Are People Analytics The Future? – by Jennifer Lawhead

Managers Expected to Use Smart Watches On Staff

Smart watches have become mainstream, thanks to the debut of the Apple Watch earlier this year.

An extension of our phones, smart watches notify you with new messages, emails or simply to drink more water. And they are customizable, allowing you to see relevant notifications in real time.

With data literally at our fingertips, and more accessible and intertwined in our day-to-day, experts see the pros and cons of smart watches in everyday business operations.

One consensus — the use of people analytics, a new term to describe a highly data-driven approach to managing people — is on the rise.

Some criticize this move as being too Big Brother, but imagine the possibilities presented if assessment data is top of mind, right on your wrist, instead of filed away.

At TTI Success Insights, we see endless possibilities.

Imagine a world in which you were having a difficult conversation with a colleague. The smart watches you each wear would sync, pick up on the stressful situation, and offer suggestions like, “You’re talking to a High C. Explain your reasoning and provide evidence.”

You would be empowered, in the moment, to completely shift the conversation.

Or, maybe you’re a HR manager and you can’t figure out why an individual didn’t want to participate in the company’s annual charity event. “He has a low altruistic driving force,” your watch would remind you.

The future of people analytics is promising — especially if it proves to be effective in producing highly productive teams and increased happiness among employees.