Process automation software and business automation is playing a stronger role in business than ever before.
Why wouldn’t it? The way we work has changed in recent years, so it follows that our our tools should also need to evolve.
Between staffing issues, challenges of a distributed workforce, and the need for increased productivity, more business leaders are finding that automation is the key to successful business operations.
However, the reasons for automating vary from one organization to the next. Motivations range from employee retention and satisfaction to reducing errors to savings and growth.
Let’s break it down.
Employee Retention
We can’t ignore staffing issues. When we have unfilled job openings, those jobs still need to be done. When jobs remain open for an extended period of time, this can have a big strain on the existing workforce – potentially resulting in burnout and loss of additional employees.
That’s where automation can help fill in these holes. By automating parts of each employee’s workload, we can help reduce the load on the employee, freeing them up to do more of the tasks that we absolutely need humans to do.
Additionally, automation has been proven to increase employee satisfaction and also make employees more productive. We have even had employees report to us that automation “made me love my job again!”
Increased satisfaction and productivity means employees can handle a heavier workload than ever before. This is what many consider to be business gold. How often can a heavier workload and happier employees be used in the same sentence? This is a true rarity, but extremely helpful when it comes to bridging the gap to get all the work done.
Savings
Proper process automation software can be so helpful that many have found it to be favorable to simply maintain a smaller workforce. Leaders are securing major savings by electing to leverage automation instead of hiring more people. In a time where hiring has become particularly challenging, this is certainly at least a good option to consider.
That’s right. Automation is not just for manufacturing. You may be surprised to learn that when automation is used at scale in the office, it can actually save money. That is, the cost of automation implementation is less than the cost of having employees handle the processes manually.
In fact, IT leaders estimate automation savings to be between 10%-50% when compared to handling these processes manually. That is nothing to sneeze at. Imagine what that might look like for your own organization. I think most of us would gladly take those kinds of savings.
Couple that with the other benefits, and it is no wonder automation is increasing in popularity.
Growth
Another great benefit of automation is how it can pave the way for growth. When scaling an organization with new hires, there is a certain amount of ramp up time needed. Then, as the number of new hires increase, so does the need for additional managers.
However, a good process automation solution will simply require initial set up of a workflow, form, or process, and then it is pretty much good to go. If the process changes, you can simply apply that change and feel confident that now each item flowing through that process will be handled the same new way, making for faster implementation time as well.
When we can lean on automation to do more heavy-lifting, we can scale more quickly and confidently than we may be able to with humans.
Reduced Errors
Speaking of humans, there is a certain degree of error that tends to exist with humans – even with the best intentions or best management. It is common enough that we even have a name for it – “human error.”
Human error might look something like this:
- Someone forgets to follow up with a colleague about an open issue or a form gets misfiled.
- A form that someone needs to sign off on just gets lost in the shuffle.
- We forget to maintain an important piece of equipment because no one remembered to call for service every 365 days.
These are all common issues that can be addressed with automation.
When we think about it, it makes sense. We don’t have to worry about a task being forgotten or falling through the cracks – everything is there in each employee’s dashboard, staring them down when they need human action. Management gets robust reporting to ensure any human touch points are being completed in a timely manner, and if someone is out sick, it is easy for a colleague to jump in and take over. This essentially “seals the cracks” in our example of things “falling through the cracks.”
That doesn’t mean people are not important – they of course still are. However, many managers find that employees are better off being applied to tasks and responsibilities that absolutely require a human or particular skillset as opposed to filling their days with things that simply wear employees out and don’t really require human reasoning or consideration anyway.
Increased Productivity
As we are discussing how automation ties in to humans, let’s shift to productivity. The true beauty of automation lies in its ability to help extend your existing workforce.
When automation can take over repetitive or process-oriented tasks, that helps extend the reach of each employee’s efforts. Meaning, a lot more can be accomplished in a single workday for every employee that integrates automation into their process.
Now, imagine what happens when employees organization-wide automate requests, multi-tier approvals, or even workflows at large…suddenly, the same number of employees can accomplish a whole lot more.
This is what many leaders describe as their “secret sauce” to growth and scaling and most expect to expand their usage of it in the next year.
Remote Workforce
Another added benefit of automation comes into play for a distributed workforce. Proper automation can fully connect your workforce, wherever they are. Most organizations operating with at least part of their workforce remotely stay connected with video calls, perhaps messaging in Microsoft Teams or Skype, and email.
However, proper automation can connect workers more fully to operate as seamlessly as they would if they were all in the same building. No more gaps between departments or manual touches needed for each task. Automation can help a form go where it needs to go right away – no email or other delivery necessary. Automating in this way can help keep the team synced up and communicating efficiently, while all working towards the same goal. This can also reduce the feeling of isolation or the “silo effect” some workers experience when operating remotely.
Conclusion
All in all, good process automation can connect workers, boost productivity, and even save money. Leaders are leaning into automation more to support business goals, scaling, and growth.
In discussing the full scope of what automation can mean for an organization, it is no wonder more leaders report that automation plays an essential role in their future business growth plans. As we continue to advance technologically, there is no doubt that this will play an even larger role in the future.
What role does automation currently play in your organization? Is there room for improvement?
Integrating proper automation can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.
Talk to one of our automation specialists View details.
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