Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. I V F E B R UA R Y 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 16 WO R K P L A C E T E C H N O L O G Y A s companies across all sectors rely more heavily on technology and digital data, how can employers make sure they're playing by the rules and steer clear of potentially costly security issues or legal challenges? Mainebiz talked to a handful of Maine-based experts working in cybersecurity, human resources and law to weigh in on new workplace technologies and some of the risks they pose, along with their advice for businesses. Here's a roundup of what they told us. Beware of wearable tech and biometric data Smart watches, fitness trackers and other wearable devices that track a person's physical activity are more than a lifestyle accessory in what's projected to become a $57 billion industry by 2022, up from $19 billion in 2016. Increasingly, wearable technology is being used in corporate wellness programs to monitor employees' move- ments and job performance, measuring everything from truck drivers' sleep to logistic workers' efficiency in a ware- house. Other companies, for example in health care or defense, are using Tech traps for companies What employers need to know B y r e n e e c o r d e S F O C U S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / P E X E L S. C O M Tawny Alvarez and Robert Brooks, partners in the labor and employment practice group at Portland-based law firm Verrill, sat down with Mainebiz to talk about legal issues surrounding wearable technology, biometrics and other modern workplace tools. Wearable technology is expected to be a $57 billion market by 2025, and smartwatches are being used in corporate wellness programs.

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