It has become an increasingly common presence in the modern workplace. The sophistication of today’s AI means that it can now handle more intricate workflows without cumbersome human control and oversight. From predictive analytics to automated administrative tasks, AI reduces workloads and creates efficiencies that help businesses maximize their own profits.
In addition to streamlining processes that have mostly been manual in the past, AI is known to also offer deeper insight into customer data and trends that can be used to create breakthrough marketing and product strategies. It also plays an important role in cyber-security, identifying threats before they become a crisis. As technology evolves, more opportunities arise for organizations to integrate AI into their workflow. But what does it mean for knowledge workers?
Data suggests that a knowledge worker spends 25% of their time searching for information, 22% on repetitive tasks, and 70% are burdened by manual tasks, helping to explain why so many feel bogged down by their work. Interestingly, a business with 1,000 knowledge workers loses $10 million a year from poor productivity tools. While technology has brought in efficiency, it has created new inefficiencies like processing vast amounts of information from numerous sources. Incessant emails and notifications, managing multiple applications, working across different software applications has created a vortex of tasks that an everyday employee is stuck in. It has also created room for (human) errors to creep in with different applications that demand frequent cut-and-paste actions.
Modern technology offers useful tools such as digital work assistants and automation that can help streamline processes and proactively eliminate needless monotony resulting in high productivity and job satisfaction. While humans are irreplaceable when it comes to strategic decision-making and creativity, automation is a key element in improving productivity, efficiency and even morale in modern workplaces. According to data, about 60% of occupations have at least 30% of their activities that are automatable. Moreover, processing data (69%) and collecting data (64%) are the most automatable activities.
Till now, siloed and disconnected applications and processes have kept human cognition, creativity and innovation at bay. Unleashing them can benefit organizations immensely. This means that valuable resources should be devoted to reducing the time spent searching and organizing, and instead used for more productive and innovative initiatives.Traditional automation systems are limited in their capacity to complete tasks due to predetermined programming instructions needing manual adjustments where needed; presenting situations that require humans with problem-solving capabilities to step in for further support. It needs programming skills and heavily depends on the IT support team to enable users to use the tool. Automation itself has come a long way. Technologies like Robotic Process Automation (RPA) have changed the automation landscape considerably. Simpler integrations and workflows have enabled a larger number of business users to take advantage of its benefits. But it still comes with its own set of drawbacks. It needs coding which requires involvement of IT department that is already overwhelmed and busy resolving never-ending issues. Enter Citizen Automation. Citizen Automation enables everyday employees to create and implement automation without the need for coding or programming knowledge. It eliminates the need for IT teams to manage automation and takes care of tedious manual processes, allowing citizens to effortlessly streamline their daily tasks.
Citizen Automators are everyday professionals with a knack for process improvement, streamlining cumbersome manual labor through the utilization of automation technology. From leveraging low code platforms such as RPA to maximizing no-code tools, these business users take on the job of creating smarter processes that address challenges at their level.
Workers now have the opportunity to gain control over their job functions by leveraging automation technology and taking advantage of convergence between RPA and no-code applications. This means that individuals can be empowered to shape how automated process applications are utilized, instead of waiting for IT departments or managers as dictated in a “top-down” approach. Technology is being democratized so people don’t use it out of necessity — but because they desire greater efficiency gains through increased autonomy. Choosing Citizen Automation takes out the power of automation from the hands of the few and puts it in the hands of those who can benefit from it instantly.
As mentioned earlier, human cognition is unmatched. No amount of automation can replace human creativity. Knowledge workers should invest their time in creative work, focusing on improving processes, problem-solving, innovation, work that invites confidence, leads to learning and knowledge-sharing. Therefore, what is needed is a blended workforce where humans and AI work together. Working alongside automation that takes care of mundane repetitive tasks while human workers focus on high value work is the best collaboration that will shape the future of work.
The author is Co-Chair- EPIC Foundation, Founder- HCL.
