IBM Watson Works shares data-driven insights to improve C-suite decision-making on space allocation and facilities management, while keeping employee health as a top priority during workplace re-entry.
While the global health crisis continues to hover over the world, governments around the globe are gradually relaxing the lockdown and allowing businesses to reopen. Businesses, while raring to get back to the new normal, want to do so not just in a safe manner, but also in a manner that’s compatible with the future of work.
A survey report by Littler revealsOpens a new window that nearly 80% of employers plan to reopen workplaces within three months. While the PwC workforce pulse surveyOpens a new window found that 47% of employees would feel comfortable returning to work if there is a change in workplace safety measures. To help ensure safe workplace re-entry, technology and innovation company IBM has announced Watson Works – a newly curated set of tools and applications that integrate Watson AI to help employers decide and organize when employees can return to the workplace, and focus on other persisting challenges around returning to work during COVID-19.
The product will aim to deliver accurate data and insights so employers and stakeholders can make evidence-based decisions and help employees return to work with confidence.
Tech News: IBM Eyes Cloud Compliance With Security Startup SpanugoOpens a new window
IBM Harnessing the Power of AI During COVID-19
IBM Watson has already proven its mettle in cognitive computing, enabling apps and tools to interact with humans with natural language processing, and helping business leaders make more accurate and automated decisions. It seems a good use-case of Watson to help address the changing workplace scenario with the power of AI.
Some of the other players that have launched apps and products for workplace re-entry during COVID-19 are ServiceNowOpens a new window and SalesforceOpens a new window .
Bob Lord, Senior Vice President, Cognitive Applications, Blockchain, and Ecosystems, IBM sharesOpens a new window , “We’ve designed Watson Works to help businesses navigate the workplace with the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis as effectively as possible. Applying AI models and applications is especially useful in this context, where there are so many different sources of information businesses must consider, and every aspect of the situation is in flux.â€
Watson Work closely monitors and provides AI-powered solutions for the following scenarios:
- Space allocation: with real-time data collected from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile phones, and camera, on-site managers can optimize space allocation, arrange for cleaning, and monitor social distancing and crowding.
- Employee health: site monitoring and management of temperature, occupancy, face mask detection, and social distancing.
- Contact tracing: tools to identify a COVID-19 positive employee and create a case management workflow to support the employee during their recovery.
- AI-based communication: virtual agents and bots to deliver fast and accurate answers about COVID-19, HR questions and other daily activities related
Dr. Pamela Lirio, Associate Professor at Université Montréal explains how IBM Watson Works incorporates AI from a well-being perspective and how it could help companies bring employees back to work.
A well-being perspective of #AIOpens a new window use in the workplace, but solution presents as motivated by compliance and workforce planning: @IBMWatsonOpens a new window Works helps companies plan a phased transition of employees back to the workplace – TechRepublic @KevinVanDuysenOpens a new window
— Pamela Lirio, PhD (@drpamelalirio) June 19, 2020Opens a new window
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