IBM launched Watson Works

On the 23rd of June, 2020 IBM launched Watson Works to equip marketers with data-driven insights to help them make precise decisions to mitigate the challenges of returning to the workplace.

With the help of IBM Works not only the employees will be able to make well-informed decisions on workplace re-entry, but the tool will also facilitate them to empower their overall management frameworks, including space allocations, and other priorities related to COVID-19.

Watson Works from IBM is an organized set of products from IBM, with in-built Watson artificial intelligence (AI) models and applications. These applications will help companies to navigate across and resolve diverse aspects of the return-to-workplace challenges, following the lockdowns.

Companies need to adopt new approaches to promote the health, safety, and productivity of the workers while securing their privacy at the same time. This becomes vital if they are planning to bring people back to the workplace. Watson Works can be beneficial for employers as it equips them to make well-informed, data-driven decisions relating to workplace re-entry.

Bob Lord, Senior Vice President, Cognitive Applications, Blockchain, and Ecosystems, IBM said, “We’ve designed Watson Works to help businesses navigate the workplace with the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis as effectively as possible.”

He further added that the application of AI models will effectively sail marketers through the current crisis, especially when there are way too many diverse sources of information for businesses to consider.

Watson Works is equipped with the following key characteristics to help marketers bring their workforce back to the office while addressing the COVID-19 related challenges at the same time:

a) The tool allows employers to manage, facilitate, and optimize space allocation by using real-time data, including data fetched from WiFi, cameras, Bluetooth beacons, and mobile phones.

The data collected will allow managers to quickly reallocate spaces, designate no-go zones, and arrange for other vital workplace necessities such as proper cleaning, crowd monitoring, social distancing, and mask-wearing; and while all this happens the privacy of employees will be fully protected.

b) The tool will allow employers to prioritize employee health by empowering the employers to make evidence-based decisions about when to let employees return to the workplace and when certain offices and workplaces should be closed. The collection and analysis of real-time data are enabled from multiple sources, including local infection rates and trends, the test results and symptoms voluntarily shared by the employees, the household health risks, and several governmental regulations. Also, managers can be kept abreast of the relevant updates.

c) The tool allows marketers to communicate with employees, vendors, and other stakeholders. Leveraging several virtual apps that use the Natural Language Processing capabilities from Watson, employees can get answers from employers. Employees can self-report symptoms to HR, and accordingly, a decision can be made on whether or not they should report to work on that particular day. Employees can also figure-out what time the employer thinks is the best time for them to arrive at the office so that they can avoid a congregational set-up.

d) Employees can maximize the effectiveness of contact tracing by assisting organizations with proper support for care agents and contact tracers. The tool equips employees to voluntarily notify their employers of a positive test result. Also, the employees can give consent to document their information without worrying about privacy issues. Thereafter, the employer-designed case management workflows can be triggered to support the employees while they recover.

IBM exhibits a rich history of stewardship of technology to protect clients' most valuable data. Watson Works is another product that reflects on IBM's high ethical standards, long-established principals of trust and transparency, and the steps taken by the company to combat the COVID-19 crisis.

Watson Works is a well-organized set of products leveraging the capabilities of IBM's Return-to-Workplace Advisor, IBM TRIRIGA, IBM Watson Care Manager, and IBM Maximo Worker Insights.

About IBM

IBM is a pioneer in the cloud platform and a leading cognitive solution provider. The company established in 1911, is headquartered in Armonk, New York, and specializes in cloud, mobile, cognitive, security, research, Watson, analytics, consulting, Resiliency services, Financing, and IT infrastructure.

With Watson, IBM has stepped into building AI platforms for businesses powered by data, to derive solutions to some of the most challenging real-world problems.

Watson learns from smaller data sets and can be easily embedded by marketers into their workflows, allowing them to have complete ownership of their data, insights, training, and IP.