FEATURE : AUTOMATION
How automation unleashes a more creative workplace
Lisa Topliss , Category Lead , Business Process Management , Ricoh Europe , discusses the many benefits that she believes automation brings to a company but says that communicating with your employees is crucial for successful adoption and to minimise fear of a ‘ robotic takeover ’.
Thanks to the emergence of AI chatbots and increasingly sophisticated robotic technology , people often associate automation with the near-future takeover of our jobs and home lives . While the advances of this technology are striking , the depiction of automation can be over-sensationalised . In reality , automation is behind the digital evolution of most organisations as they endeavour to transform their operations . When it comes to Digital Transformation , businesses of all sizes have had varying degrees of success and sit at very different stages on this journey .
Now , dwindling productivity and economic pressures are driving interest in business process automation as organisations look to optimise budgets , streamline workflows and boost efficiency across their organisation .
Recent research by Ricoh Europe found that Digital Transformation could increase EU and UK GDP by 3.4 % over the next five years , equivalent to € 622 billion of growth . It ’ s an alluring productivity boost at a time when many businesses face stagnating economies and resource cuts .
While employees are overwhelmingly in favour of automation , with 69 % ready to embrace automation tools to reduce admin and tedious tasks , it ’ s vital that businesses bring employees on the digitalisation journey . This will help to alleviate any fears of a ‘ robotic takeover ’ and demonstrate the benefits it brings .
So how can businesses best explain the purpose of automation , what ’ s the difference between workflow tools and process automation , and how
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