Technology at work can be complicated. As business executives mull over the advantages and disadvantages of installing specialized software, various factors are considered in the cost-benefit analysis. Arguably, the most important effect to consider is how technology supports your team. PWC research found that 90% of C-Suite executives felt like they were making decisions related technology that reflected their staff’s needs but only about 53% of staff agreed.

Here are 4 reasons automation benefits staff.

Productivity

The upfront costs of technology can deter businesses from implementing software and other technology. However, automation enables organizations to access instant time savings which turns into long lasting cost savings. Automation enables employees to capture time that would be spent on a task that is now streamlined and repurpose it on more meaningful work. Automation eliminates errors, redundancies, and speed of completion, which decreases the overall turnaround time. On a global basis, McKinsey research estimates that automation will lead to a 1.4% growth in productivity annually.

Job Satisfaction

The 2019 Kofax Intelligent Automation Study reported that 92% of executives reported a 25% or more increase in employee satisfaction as a result of implementing automated processes. Automation helps to reduce manual and repetitive tasks which makes day to day work less tedious and more convenient.

Overall 43% of American office workers said they were bored at work in 2016 and bored employees were 2x more likely to leave their job. 44% of people sited their reason for being disengaged at work as having to do unchallenging work that didn't use their higher-level abilities. Automation eliminates those basic level tasks that are time intensive and gives staff the ability to focus their attention of more engaging work.

Stress

Automation helps individuals and teams get work done faster and more accurately. This helps to reduce employee stress and it improves the quality of work. In workplaces with low stress levels, 72% of people attribute their significantly low stress to the assistance of AI and automation. Technology helps to eliminate stress in the workplace by reducing individual workload and making everyday tasks easier to manage. Automation makes employees feel more confidence in the work they’re doing because they know that the chances of human error are reduced when they’re assisted by software automation.

Customer Satisfaction  

The link between employees and customers is undeniable. Employee satisfaction directly affects how customers feel, so the customer experience can be improved by enhancing the employee experience. When employees aren’t happy at work, the sentiment often reflects in their interactions with customers. Engaged employees are harder working and more committed to better results in their work which strengthens their relationships with customers and can increase customer retention.

For many companies automated processes can be implemented and deliver benefits across the organization: accounting, customer relations, sales and marketing, and more. Companies with higher employee satisfaction and engagement outperform their competitors by 147%. Companies that invest in their employee experience are four times more profitable than competitors that don’t.