Could your iWatch data create better experiences at work?
If your car had an emergency warning light on, you’d probably take a look under the bonnet. Or, if you’re me… take it to someone who actually knows how to fix a car.
But the point being, our cars give us a warning when something isn’t right or might be on the verge of breaking - helping us improve the car’s longevity or optimise its performance.
Now, imagine the car is a person. Where is the warning light? Where is the sensor, the data, the insights that help us understand where that person is at, and allow us to better understand what support they actually need to be at their best?
A case can and should definitely be made for greater Leader training, enabling them to spot the signs and have meaningful conversations. But, as part of LinkedIn’s BigIdeas2026, it was fascinating to read at number 11, about using biometric data from your Apple Watch, Oura Ring, Whoop Band (let me know any others I’ve missed!) to shape our experience at work.
The predication gave an example of using the collective data to adjust lighting and temperature based on energy and focus patterns.
But also imagine the informed conversations we could have.
Data could open the door to more empathetic, supportive conversations that genuinely enable our people to be, feel and do their best work.
Think about if the data highlighted any red flags, like stress levels being higher than normal. Instead of check-in conversations being about reeling off the tasks you’re working on, they could focus on what actually matters:
Is work feeling manageable at the moment, or heavier than normal?
Are you getting enough space to recover between busy spells?
What would make the biggest difference over the next few weeks?
Now, don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of ways this data could be mis-managed or used unethically but is this straight from a sci-fi HR book (or maybe even 1984), or could it become a reality?
