Why We Gave Every Employee a Wearable for the Holidays

Holiday bonuses are a business tradition – just ask Clark Griswold. Most companies reward employees with a bonus check, while some go for company-branded gear. At ReadyTalk, we’ve received both in the past, but this year, we received something different.

Every employee was gifted his or her choice of wearable.

We could choose between three different Android watches or an Apple Watch. I was excited. I’ve always been intrigued by Apple Watches, but never felt justified spending the money when I wasn’t sure if I would use it. This, in my opinion, is the best kind of gift: something you probably wouldn’t buy for yourself but would love to have. Money typically disappears; as much as we say that we’ll use a bonus for something fun, it ends up going toward something practical, like the mortgage. You can’t use an Apple Watch to reduce your debt or buy sneakers for your kids.

 Some of my co-workers felt differently. Like Clark Griswold, some appreciate holiday bonuses for financial commitments; things that are typically more important than a pool. I get this. But three months later, it’s clear that the wearables were more than just gifts. They were an investment in our company.

 ReadyTalk is a technology company. While our technology is excellent, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Culture and innovation drive as much success, both at the personal and corporate level, as the sophistication of our software. We’re dedicated to those aspects of our business; they are the foundation on which we built this company.

 Giving our employees wearables cultivated community. My co-workers and I discussed which one to choose, shared adoption techniques, passed along tips and tricks. The athletes compared fitness stats; the rest of us, clock faces. It boosted cross-pollination; seventh floor engineers chatted with sixth floor marketers about custom watch bands and the pros and cons of various features. It made people smile.

 Giving our employees wearables improved not only our organizational health, but our personal health too. Working in technology requires a lot of sitting in front of screens, no matter what your role. As a community, we’re now tuned into our health stats, inspired by healthy competition, and more easily connected to our corporate wellness programs.

 Giving our employees wearables made us better at our jobs. This one surprised me. In the age of smart phones and always-on email, I didn’t expect a smart watch to impact my performance; I actually thought it would be an additional distraction. But as a unit, we are now more seamlessly connected to work, home and each other. Wearables make it easier to operate on all fronts, boosting efficiency and productivity – not to mention the performance improvements that come from being in better shape.

 Giving our employees wearables fostered innovation. It is infinitely easier to think about new technology when it’s on your wrist. The Internet of Things has arrived and will impact every organization, but it can be tough for it to feel tangible. By institutionalizing wearables, employees at every level of the company can internalize what it means to us, and how to translate that to our positions. The gifts demonstrated a top-down commitment to innovation in a way that will hopefully permeate the organization. The leadership put its money where its mouth is, enabling the Future of Work to empower our team to innovate.

 When it was announced, I thought that wearables for the holidays was a fun idea, but I had no idea what an impact a relatively small gift would make. While not every employee counts every calorie or sends texts from their wrist, we built connection in every sense of the word. That’s an investment that will pay back in spades.