Business process automation aims to automate functions to increase an organization’s efficiency, quality and delivery – all while reducing costs and saving time. Its application in modern business settings has been increasing for years, but in today’s world of hybrid working, business process automation is coming into its own. Not only facilitating the work-from-anywhere culture so many companies now operate by, but it can also enhance the experience and productivity of employees regularly working from a variety of locations (in the office, at home, regional meet-up work zones, business conferences, etc.).
In 2024, automation technologies are at the forefront of business transformation. According to a Deloitte study, 50% of organizations are planning to incorporate these advancements, emphasizing their pivotal role in the future of business.
“Process automation is especially beneficial for hybrid working as it allows teams to work effectively asynchronously and reduces the need for one-to-one interactions,” Tracey Beveridge, HR director at Personnel Checks, tells PEX Network.
Here are four ways process automation supports remote working and how, along with guidance on achieving ROI and overcoming challenges.
Increased productivity
Well set up automated processes with clear documentation should mean that team members can complete individual tasks from any location and at a time that suits them, Beveridge says. “This can hugely increase the productivity of a team as everyone is able to get on with work without waiting for other people or needing to check in with others on the progress of a task.” The more manual or repetitive parts of the process can take place completely automatically, further speeding things up, she adds.
“Of course, to be effective, there does need to be good initial planning and setup, but once in place, process automation can dramatically reduce some of the delays that can be a risk factor of moving to a hybrid working pattern.”
READ: What Microsoft’s Clippy can teach us about process automation
Real-time monitoring
Process automation can support hybrid working through real-time monitoring, says Liza Russell, chief operating officer at Inbotiqa “This supports hybrid working by increasing visibility for managers, who are able to see in what cases turnaround times are more challenging to meet, whether inside or outside the office, and provide appropriate support swiftly. Managing the hybrid team’s wellbeing and performance is also easier with real-time monitoring as you can quickly identify if there is a lapse in processing or tasks being actioned and can follow up with support if necessary.”
Enhanced employee wellbeing
Process automation has helped Clickthrough Marketing increase the wellbeing of remote/hybrid working employees, Matt Ward, MD of Clickthrough Marketing, tells PEX Network. “The pandemic saw the rise of the “new face to face” normal which is something that has endured. Whilst a necessity at the time, the reduction in human contact caused some concern as people became less inclined to be present in the office.”
Consistency in working methods has been a challenge and the company had to go right back to the start with this, investing in systems and processes from the ground up that support and balance both wellbeing and its culture of continuous service delivery improvement for our clients. “Initially, we invested a lot of time (and money) in automated systems to take on some of the tasks that support a healthy culture to make sure its people felt connected,” Ward says. This led to business efficiency automation tools such as HR and Finance. “As an agency, we strive to find a balance of true face to face contact with colleagues and clients alike to make sure we’re always valuing the human connection.
READ: How businesses are conquering change in hybrid-work models
Scalability support
Process automation supports scalability by enabling teams to handle higher volumes of work without a linear increase in headcount, Russell says. “For hybrid teams, this means the ability to manage peak periods effectively, even when part of the team is working remotely.” Tools that effectively use automation allow managers to analyze data to predict workload trends, which helps plan resource allocation in advance to ensure that teams can scale their efforts up or down as required, she adds.
“We’ve since developed automated systems to analyze and present the huge amount of complex qualitative and quantitative data we handle without the need for ‘across the desk’ conversations,” adds Ward. “These systems have improved our efficiency and help ensure visibility of key information across the agency, wherever we are.” The next steps are exciting as the firm looks to embrace AI to enable more of a lens into the management of client relationships to support its talented people as well as numerous time efficiency systems, he says.
Process automation ROI
Process automation is not a set-and-forget solution. Businesses must monitor and regularly evaluate automation’s effectiveness to maximize ROI. “My advice to anyone looking to move forwards with process automation is to be balanced and consider the benefits of any system carefully,” says Ward. “Be ruthless in assessing their real impact on the business.” This sounds obvious, but it’s easy to be distracted with “shiny things” that look great but they can often get mothballed and costs can soon spiral.
“We use a system of impact tests that balance the impact on our business, our clients and also our people,” adds Ward. “This helps us make sure that we’re doing the right thing and can easily sense check any investments.”
The possibilities for process automation are virtually endless, but while implementing process automation can have many benefits, it’s better to only automate certain processes. The real benefits come from automating and optimizing cross-functional processes that span departments and silos. However, there is often a trade-off to be made between ease-of-use, sophistication, and affordability.
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Challenges of process automation
Giedrius Gustas, data and power platform offering lead at Reiz Tech, cautions against the potential hurdles of automation, such as internal resistance due to fears of losing jobs and integration complexities as merging the new solutions with older systems can bring up unforeseen challenges.
“Adhering to a plan for gradual expansion ensures ease during the familiarization with automation,” Gustas says. Picking a few essential automation tools and initiating the process gradually will help to mitigate the most pronounced challenges, he adds.
He also advises against overinvestments in areas like in-house IT geared to build highly customized solutions, as these may not yield a worthwhile ROI. “The rapid evolution of technology has opened up lots of affordable and quickly scalable external solutions, rendering investments like in-house IT as outdated. Typically, it is slow, costly and too scattered to make a compounding difference,” he says.
An emphasis on a calculated approach should be maintained to allocate budgets for developments providing clear benefits in efficiency, innovation and competitiveness. “While there are lots of alluring tech investment options, one should rather maintain a cool head and stay result-oriented, focusing on what will push a business forward in the day-to-day. Automation fits that role well, with minimal margins for error.”
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