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Automation: Robots Step up to Take on Repetitive Business Process Tasks
Can your job be eliminated by automation? One report finds that 47 percent of today’s jobs will be vulnerable over the next few years.
Robots are often used to automate manufacturing processes, but robots and software are also increasingly being applied to the automation of business processes. Robotic automation is the combination of machines and software to perform rule-based tasks. In the IT industry, for example, Robotic Process Automation (RBA) is being applied to basic IT operations, like the management and monitoring of access, requests, availability, incidents and problems.
Transparency Market Research estimates that the global IT Robotic Automation market to reach $4.98 billion by 2020. RPA boasts a 25-40 percent savings when applied to most markets. In the area of IT, automation is actually bringing something closer to 40-55 percent cost savings. RPA technology is often considered to be at about a 3 to 1 ratio when compared to humans. One full time FTE individual can be replaced by three software robots.
Aurobinda Nanda, co-founder of the IT services firm Happiest Minds, said that “increased automation will help IT services companies execute error-free processes. Processes such as software testing are prone to human error and can be time consuming. About 70 per cent of processes in business process outsourcing and knowledge process outsourcing are repetitive and can be automated.”
Frank Casale, founder of the Institute for Robotic Process Automation (IRPA), said that “I would say most IT infrastructure support jobs will be eliminated over the next three years. This is a flash trend driven by a combination of really powerful process automation software and artificial intelligence, and following a lot of trial and error… I would say most IT infrastructure support jobs will be eliminated over the next three years. I’ve already seen [deployments] where there was 60-plus percent labor automation… RPA moves the focus of automation up the value chain. At the same time, demand for IT experts is growing for even higher-value jobs, because most companies are struggling to keep up with high-tech development, and this is why RPA is a relief to most IT people.” Casale says that RPA technology can be applied to jobs such as IT help desks, data center and server support, network support, and other areas of IT.
To gain a clear picture of RPA’s potential value and to demystify a few misconceptions, we should stop perpetuating ideas such as “your job will be eliminated by automation”. While it’s true that some activities previously executed by company employees can be automated these days with RPA, that certainly does not mean that human staff are obsolete. As RPA takes care of the menial tasks, employees have more time to focus on core human responsibilities such as sales, marketing, strategy and solutions. This in turn will create higher business value and cultivate deeper customer engagement.
I would agree, manufacturing companies must look forward to the technological advancement in their industrial facilities. Nowadays, more and more companies are equipping and leveraging their processes through robotic process automation. However, I believe that the evolution of automation does not mean that the human workforce will be replaced. Rather, it will be increased as the job is being redistributed. They will be able to focus on tasks that are much worthy in business and thus, it can increase productivity.