Robot co-workers? 7 cool technologies changing the way we work

Some companies are taking an extreme route to bypass work IDs.

Wisconsin-based kiosk company Three Square Market made news last year when it announced its employees could volunteer to have an RFID microchip implanted under the skin on their hand.

The chip -- which is slightly bigger than a grain of rice -- allows workers to open doors, log into computers and make purchases at work without needing an ID badge, password or credit card.

The concept of microchipping employees has raised concerns, but the company says the chips don't track employees.

"Implanting chips into employees is a radical move that raises serious privacy issues, and isn't likely to take off widely in the near future," said Forrester's Gownder.

"Why implant a chip into an employee -- who might not work for you forever -- when you can give them a smartphone with a biometric reader, like iris recognition or fingerprint scanner or a wearable device, instead?"