Employee satisfaction has a positive impact on company productivity. In addition, absenteeism due to anxiety and stress-related illnesses decreases, and innovation increases, as “when one feels good one is more creative and has more desire to contribute ideas, so it is reflected in the results of the companies “.
This is explained by Xavi Escales, founder of Always People First, the consultancy specializing in Human Resources that is dedicated to helping companies implement plans to improve the well-being of employees. The expert assures that caring for employees increases the chances of retaining and attracting talent, as well as generating a positive return in society.
But to know exactly the results of the implementation of these plans, the company has created AlwaysPeopleFirst Technologies (APFtech), the first technology capable of objectively measuring the well-being of people not through the use of surveys, but through the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
A need of its own
After several years working to improve the well-being of employees of companies such as Asic, Escales creates in 2018 its own Human Resources consultancy and realizes that there is no technology capable of showing the result of the measures that are implants in companies.
“I asked a friend who specializes in technology issues with artificial intelligence if it was possible to objectively measure a person’s emotional situation through technology. In 2018 we started studying it and at the end of 2019 we saw that it was possible. The idea came from here, to be able to measure a person’s emotional well-being in an objective way without having to do tedious surveys. “
After researching different definitions of well-being and how to perform these measurements, the partners reached an agreement with the Quirón Salut group, from where they were informed that the most reliable in the body to measure this factor was heart rate variability. “If the rate of your 60 beats per minute is constant, you’re fine. If that rate varies, that is, you have one beat every second and then another every five, it’s because something is happening. This something is what we analyze to see if it’s positive or negative, ”Escales points out.
How does technology help?
This is where technology comes into play. The data collection process is performed through personal devices in the form of tapes placed around the arm that in addition to the variability of heart rate, measure other values such as skin temperature or blood pressure.
After a few weeks with the device, the algorithm applies procedures machine learning to detect and predict individual patterns, customizing the conclusions. “The device detects changes in body parameters, either because the user is in a happy moment, has done sports or has suffered a very stressful situation. From here, the algorithm is learning to establish whether it is a positive or negative alteration”.
Once the monitoring is done, the results are analyzed and the software makes a report with specific actions and improvement plans. Users have access to this data at any time, through a mobile application.
A solution that not only helps the business fabric
Escales’ initial idea was that this solution would serve the business fabric as a demonstration of the benefits of the plans that are implemented to improve the well-being of employees. “I know that when you invest a lot of money in this aspect you like to have information to see what it’s worth and most importantly, to make it better.”
To his surprise, the healthcare sector has also taken an interest in this technology. “Right now there are two strong pillars in this area. On the one hand the issue of the humanization of medicine and on the other hand, COVID has accelerated the field of eHealth. This interest in the medical world is something that has surprised us, “says the founder.
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In this sense, in addition to having it implemented in companies such as HolaLuz or Laboratories Uriach, two pilot projects are also being developed at the Teknon medical center and at the Hospital del Pilar, both located in Barcelona. To these will be added the Hospital de la Mar, which aims to conduct a study with APFtech in the ICU department in relation to the situation of stress and anxiety that health professionals are experiencing for COVID, As this technology “can help prevent it.”