Posted by Singapore: Workflow automation will enhance employees’ work instead of replacing them but there are several challenges that organisations haven’t overcome.
According to a new study, 81% of employers say that workflow automation will enhance employees’ work instead of replacing them. For 63% employers, the lack of background knowledge to utilise workflow automation technologies remains a major challenge, 62% reasoned inability to establish the correct workflow.
These are the key findings from the recently launched NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB) Industry Insights Report on Workflow Automation in Singapore.
The report is based on in-depth interviews with industry experts, UiPath and NTUC LHUB, and a survey involving 300 business decision-makers across industries in Singapore.
In addition, a majority of businesses (75%) say their organisations have experience with workflow automation, almost half (43%) of them say that they lack buy-in from employees to adopt these technologies.
In the job market, more than half (56%) of employers are willing to offer a premium to hire talent in workflow automation. But three in five (58%) employers highlight that there is inadequate interest among job seekers.
The contrast between employers’ positive attitudes towards workflow automation and employees’ ambivalent views highlights the need to showcase to the public a different perspective.
Such technologies benefit both organisations and staff members in achieving ‘better utilisation of resources’ (74%), ‘carrying out mundane or tedious tasks’ (70%), and ‘reducing operational risks’ (58%).
According to Anthony Chew, Director of ICT Product Division – NTUC LHUB, in a turbulent COVID-19 environment it is imperative for a company to invest in efficiency and productivity as well as educating its workforce.
“It is key that business leaders assuage any anxiety their workers might have of new technologies so that they can truly harness the power of automated systems,” said Chew.
“Employees must also see the workflow automation adoption as an opportunity in areas involving critical thinking and decision-making — skills are irreplaceable by machines. We urge workers to learn about workflow automation to fully understand and best utilise it, rather than to fear it,” added Chew.
“The pandemic has reinforced the importance of building agility and resilience. Singaporean companies are seeing the cost benefits and versatility that automation solutions such as RPA (Robotic Process Automation) provide,” said Chris Loo, MD -Southeast Asia, UiPath.
“This will continue as more companies digitise. Singapore attracts companies from high-growth sectors such as fintech, biotechnology, renewable energy and others. Employees skilled in deep tech areas such as RPA, AI/ML and cybersecurity will add significant value, and be in high demand,” added Loo.