The use of neurotechnology on various fronts in the workplace is no longer the stuff of science fiction movies and has become part of the reality for thousands of companies. Advances in neuroscience and artificial intelligence have enabled the emergence of platforms and devices accessible to companies across various industries. These solutions are proving increasingly relevant to businesses, and the global neurotechnology market is growing at an annual rate of 12%, with a forecast to reach $21 billion by 2026.
Currently, neurotechnology is applied in three main areas in the workplace:
- Fatigue monitoring
- Attention and memory
- Adaptation of the work environment (ergonomics/UX)
More than 5,000 companies worldwide, in sectors such as mining, construction, chemicals, and transportation, use solutions that combine neuroscience and technology to increase operational safety among their teams. After all, fatigue not only affects safety but also reduces motivation and productivity, resulting in estimated losses of $136 billion per year. Both major accidents of large proportions (such as train derailments, oil spills, and other environmentally harmful products) and smaller environmental impacts (such as falls, electric shocks, fractures, and burns) highlight the high social and operational costs not only of fatigue but also of stress and anxiety.
The combination of understanding the environment in which tasks occur with the technology capable of applying human behavior science to predict cognitive readiness is one of the promising and accessible fronts in the area of human safety in industries. As stated by Nita Farahany, a professor at Duke University and researcher on the social implications of emerging technologies: “Neurotechnology can help assess employees’ cognitive load, allowing for workforce optimization.”
SOURCE: Neurotech at Work, Harvard Business Review, by Nita Farahany. Available at: https://hbr.org/2023/03/neurotech-at-work
