Intelligent automation is changing the game in many workplaces. It’s taking simple, routine tasks and delegating them to programmable software. That frees up the human capital to do more complex work.
Automation is more efficient and accurate, especially when it comes to data processing, but what about the impact of it on the company culture? With automation comes the fear that the robots are “taking my job,” and that’s simply not the case.
When implemented correctly, intelligent automation can positively transform your organization’s culture. It takes work, but you can guide your team to see automation as an asset, not as a threat.
Shifting the Mindset
When you first bring up the idea of automation in the workplace, there will likely be objections from many different angles. From a practical side, your team will wonder about the cost or if you have the infrastructure in place to support it. These are all easily solvable with proper planning.
The emotional reaction to intelligent automation is a little more complex. Your team will likely wonder if setting up the system will put them out of a job. The short answer is yes. Some tasks will be automated, but that’s actually a good thing!
If you were to take a poll of your team’s least favorite tasks, it would likely be data entry. The routine, task-oriented jobs that need to be done, but they’re not very enjoyable.
They don’t take a lot of brain power to do, and it can be very disengaging for employees to do day in and day out. But what if there was software that could take those menial tasks and help them focus on the work they want to do?
Intelligent automation is actually helping your employees. It’s freeing up their capacity to do the things they’re passionate about. They’re not losing the work they like. They’re actually getting more time to do it.
There are different intelligent automation solutions, including process mining and intelligent document processing. According to Abbyy.com, process mining helps parse workflows to identify breakdowns, gaps, and delays, while intelligent document processing helps pull data quickly and efficiently. Both of these can transform routine tasks and reduce the room for human error.
As you’re looking to garner buy-in, frame it as what the software can do for your team. When you do so, you’ll have a lot more success from the outset.
Increase in Employee Satisfaction
When your team no longer has to complete low-think tasks at work, there’s actually a notable boost in their overall satisfaction at work. They are able to do more of the things they want to do, and you’re sending a clear message to your team that you value their contributions.
Value, recognition, and appreciation are critical when it comes to building a strong culture at work. You want your team members to feel heard, so if they have shared that they dislike the volume of tasks they have to do at work, automation can be a great solution.
That way, they can pursue work that is more meaningful to them. You will also see improvements in the quality of work now that they are able to dedicate more time to complete the high-think work.
Automation can foster innovation, and your team should feel a greater sense of ownership in their work. They are producing results they feel proud to be a part of.
Foster Open Dialogue
At the end of the day, you’re integrating intelligent automation into your workflow because it helps increase productivity and cut costs without sacrificing the quality of work.
You’re adding great benefits to your business, but don’t do it at the expense of your team. Listen to their concerns and make adjustments as needed, especially if something’s not working as expected.
Intelligent automation needs oversight to ensure it continues to operate as expected. If your team is sharing that they still need to fix errors in the output, look at the root cause. Perhaps you have to adjust the data inputs or standardize the data fields.
You want your team to feel comfortable raising issues with automation, so make sure that you foster an open dialogue. It will only help you operate more efficiently when you do.
The Overall Impact of Intelligent Automation in the Workplace
You are in control of how intelligent automation is perceived in your workplace. If you approach it with care, your team should see its benefits and why it will help improve their jobs without feeling threatened that it is going to take over them.
Intelligent automation is meant to augment work. While technologies are highly sophisticated and can complete complex tasks, there is still a human element that’s needed to take it to the next level.
When automation focuses on routine tasks, your team can better focus on what they do best. You will see a marked increase in productivity across the board.
While intelligent automation is an investment, it is one that will yield dividends when done correctly.
