There’s no doubt that fitness trackers like Fitbits (NYSE: FIT) have been some of the most popularly gift items over the past few years. However, why do some employers give these as gifts as opposed to something else? According to the Huffington Post, the number of gifted fitness trackers from companies to employees from 2013 to 2014 increased by 8,000. It may seem crazy, but there is a definite method to the fitness madness. A more healthy employee workforce translates into less sick days. And less sick days makes the company as a whole more productive. So the fitness trend makes a lot of sense, both from an employee health standpoint and in terns of a higher potential monetary outcome. "People who exercise might have more brain cells than their more sedentary peers -- giving them a major advantage in the workplace,” Robert Pozen, a Harvard professor and author of Extreme Productivity wrote, according to The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post reported that employees that exercised on a consistent basis saw a decrease in respiratory infections between 40 to 50%. However, the HuffPost points out that companies can collect aggregate data from the trackers, taking away a sense of privacy from the employee. I think this is a up-to-date and useful gift for an employer to give to an employee, particularly on a large scale. Why not give employees the most up to date in-demand product? For more business and financial news, click here. *This is editorial content and expresses the opinion of the author.