Improve Staff Productivity Through Process Automation
Published: 14/02/2022
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In this article, we will discuss process automation and how it is driving better performance across the company. This piece should be of interest to everyone with managerial authority who is eager to lead their team to success. Along the way, we will also address some of the most common concerns related to automation.
Many factors contribute to staff productivity, including leadership, team support, resources, company culture, and business processes. The list continues. We will focus specifically on the optimisation of processes, which is closely linked to every other factor mentioned. While it may seem appealing to optimise every area related to productivity, we assure you it is possible—through process automation.
Since business processes interact with other factors on the list, their optimisation will consequently enhance other areas. But why, among all possible methods of improvement, should you pursue the automation route? We will address this and other queries, as well as highlight the aforementioned touchpoints, in the article below.
Processes that require repetitive manual labour and are most prone to human error should be the highest priorities. For example, invoicing. Some processes can only be partially automated, as they involve the need for human judgement—like the approval process. To put it simply, one should aim to automate every process, either fully or in relevant parts. The real challenge is prioritisation, which is unique to each business and the processes they have in place.
Since the advent of the first means of automation, they have been shrouded in myths. These myths can significantly contribute to delays in adopting these practices, thereby hindering businesses from scaling rapidly. That is why we aim to address two of the oldest and most widespread automation myths and demonstrate their falsehoods.
During the era of industrialisation, factory workers opposed automation for fear that machines would take over their jobs. Centuries later, this fear persists. However, the truth is that automation isn’t here to replace humans; rather, it aims to enhance efficiency by alleviating time-consuming tasks that don’t contribute to progress.
Machines are still unable to take on the entirety of the workload. However, they are capable of freeing up time that can be devoted to tasks that machines cannot perform. Interestingly, automation actually increases the demand for labour.
Digital transformation is a significant buzzword that many use without fully grasping its meaning. Business automation is often regarded as another ‘trendy’ term, though it constitutes a substantial part of the previously mentioned practice. This lack of understanding is precisely what fosters the scepticism that once the trend fades, automation will become irrelevant. However, this notion is very far from the truth.
The popularity of digital transformation, including automation, stems from its revolutionary impact on business operations. By reducing the risks of human error and providing more comprehensive insights, the benefits of digitalisation are shaping a future driven by data and progress. This process is powered by modern technology and knowledge that is gathered and applied for further development. In summary, digital transformation represents a mindset geared towards continuous innovation through automation. It simply cannot become outdated.
We have already mentioned the most commonly cited benefit of automation: saving time. Since this is fairly self-explanatory and we have touched on it briefly, we shall not expand on it. Instead, we will explore other, less obvious ways in which process automation serves as a key driver of your company’s productivity.
Miscommunication is the primary cause of delays. When multiple parties are involved in a process, it is often inevitable. Logically, reducing the number of participants in a process subsequently lowers the risk of miscommunication. However, it is not always realistic to exclude anyone, as each role filled is vital.
Process automation may not always resolve the issue of needing every individual involved, but it can certainly facilitate smoother communication, thereby reducing the likelihood of human error. For instance, instead of depending on an employee to notify their colleagues upon completing a task so they can take over, you can minimise the risk of delays that may occur if they forget to do so. With process automation in place, the moment they mark the task as complete, an alert is sent to the other individuals involved, informing them that they can commence work immediately. This may not seem significant, but a layer of streamlined and clearer communication does wonders for team productivity in the long run.
Digital solutions that enable automation often provide reports, offering insights into the results achieved. Most commonly, they deliver in-depth data that would otherwise remain inaccessible. By using several solutions that are integrated with one another, you can expand their stand-alone automation capabilities, thus leading to even more data, now placed into different contexts.
The more data you have, the faster you will be at spotting patterns across various business areas. These patterns act as a means of revealing new opportunities and potential threats more swiftly, allowing you to begin utilising them immediately. For example, by reviewing a report of an automated process, you may notice a tendency towards a particular bottleneck that you were previously unaware of, which slows down progress. This enables you to investigate the problematic step, understand the issue, and resolve it—thereby eliminating the bottleneck.
You must have heard the saying that happy employees are more productive. Well, according to the University of Oxford, it is true, and the observed workers were 13% more productive in the weeks they reported being happy. To draw a connection between employee happiness and work automation, let us examine further numbers. 74% of employees in highly automated companies linked higher job satisfaction to automation.
Despite its name, Timesheet Portal offers much more than merely serving as a timesheet solution. Although digital time tracking is the foundation of our platform, it is designed to facilitate the automation of a wide array of business processes. From calculating overtime to generating and distributing invoices, our aim is to provide you and your staff with as much flexibility as possible. Not only do we alleviate the burden of mundane tasks from your shoulders, but we also assist you in further automation.
Our extensive range of integrations with accounting, CRM, and other digital tools unlocks new ways to minimise manual labour. It also facilitates the collection of more comprehensive data and provides context for easier identification of opportunities. Timesheet Portal has been designed for teams that aim to progress - and that’s what we help you achieve.
Every business strives to enhance its productivity, but with so many ways to achieve this, they often select the wrong approach. We assert that the best starting point is the optimisation of business processes, as these are the pillars that support your organisation. Automation is a method that has proven to be effective, even if some still approach it with a degree of scepticism. It contributes to increasing productivity in various ways simultaneously, making it a significant success accelerator.
Not only does it free up your employees' schedules by eliminating mundane manual tasks, but it also smooths communication across the company. The insights collected along the way can guide you in the right direction or flag potential risks before you encounter them. Best of all, there is little limit to what can be automated and how; it all comes down to your goals and creativity.
Are you prepared to automate? Allow us to assist you.