Hundreds of BNP Paribas employees have taken part in a pilot that saw them wear Microsoft Band 2s that gathered biometric data to measure their stress levels.
The academic experiment, under the control of professor Mark Cropley from the University of Surrey, gathered over 60 gigabytes of data from 560 bank staffers.
The data was run through an artificial intelligence engine from BioBeats, shedding light on perceived and actual stress, links between stress and ruminators, and the outcome of breathing as an intervention.
Ian Mackenzie, head, pension and benefits, BNPP says: "By partnering with BioBeats we are taking the next step on our journey to support our employees’ mental and physical health in an objective, scientific and data-rich way.
"What’s new is how this programme uses technology to provide actionable insights to help change behaviour, encourage stress management and promote a productive lifestyle."