Automation tools have transformed automation from a “nice-to-have” to a necessity as they improve employee and organizational performance. Automation can also enhance work-life balance and prevent burnout, which are two key retention strategies for businesses adapting to a changing workforce.
Automation is becoming increasingly prevalent and influencing the manner in which we operate across many different sectors and industries. Companies and industries are at varying stages of implementing automated processes, with some investing more than others to achieve a higher level of automation.
Are you interested in how automation is reshaping workplace productivity? This post will examine the relationship between automation and productivity, along with the analytics available presently and potential up-and-coming prospects.
Let’s get into it.
12 Statistics that Show How Automation Increases Productivity at Work
One of the most obvious ways that automation also helps enhance efficiency is by taking over manual (and repetitive, and low-value) work that tends to rise up, eat up time and is often low strategic value. Whether it is entering invoices, updating slides, or booking meetings, low-value work tends to drain productivity and slow down decision-making.
Automating repetitive tasks is a way to reduce errors, but the greater opportunity is that it frees employee time to focus on innovation, solving problems or engaging with customers and working on things that actually grow the business.
Moreover, whilst many jobs are being automated, new jobs that didn’t exist are also being created, which will require creativity, complex problem-solving, and human-focused skills.
The shift in the workplace further supports the importance of reskilling and preparing the workforce for a future where humans can work at their best-aligned with AI. Here are 12 data points that illustrate ways automation drives workplace productivity.
Automation Takes Over Repetitive Work
Some jobs may be taken over by automation, but new jobs will also be created that require creativity, complex problem-solving, and human-centred skills. Even so, it is important to reskill the workforce for a future in which humans will collaborate with AI. Automation of repetitive tasks is converting time into strategic tasks.
1. Automation is commonly used in 76% of businesses to standardise daily workflows and allow time for strategising.
2. Finance departments have saved more than 500 hours per year by using payment automation.
Big Time Gains and Satisfaction
AI provides non-routine work (and for most people) the ability for no- or low-value work. Research has found that when workers see meaning and impact in their work, they are more satisfied.
In addition to the workload being lighter after hours, automation alleviates noise related to your job. Many workers experience burnout since so much of the administrative portion of their role occurs over the weekend and after work hours.
Time savings equate to improvements in occupational well-being and employee job engagement.
3. 245 hours per worker saved each year equals six workweeks saved.
4. 90% of workers say they are more satisfied with their work due to automation.
Automation Creates Productivity
Small incremental change grows into big wins over time – Which is why the vast majority of businesses understand how to automate frequent tasks to free up time to focus on more important tasks. Competitive firms are taking it one step further to explore even more ways to increase productivity based on their employees’ performance.
5. Automation increases worldwide productivity by a potential 1.4% each year.
6. Task-switching leads to a 40% productivity loss—automation helps negate it.
Finance and HR Leaders in Automation
Clearly, both finance and human resources are critical in defining and achieving an organisation’s purpose, but they can only do that if they are properly aligned and provided the resources and opportunities to contribute. Departments with repetitive processes have the most to benefit from automation.
7. Up to 80% of finance processes could be automated.
8. There has been a 599% increase in HR automation in recent years.
AI Helps Workers Do More
AI helps employees do more by automating monotonous and mindless tasks, allowing employees to focus on more complex, strategic, and creative tasks, leading to greater productivity and job satisfaction. AI allows teams to work smarter, not simply more.
9. By 2025, 50% of knowledge workers will be using virtual assistants.
10. Generative AI increases agent productivity by 15%.
Automation Unlocks Human Potential
This isn’t about replacing, it’s about augmenting. Automating repetitive tasks gives your personnel more time to tinker with new ideas and innovations that could grow your business. By allowing your staff to offload the administrative work onto automation, your team can maximise their time spent exploring ideas and quickly seeing experiments realised.
Automation provides you with an opportunity to greatly expand the number of products and services you can provide to your clients in an expedited way that also improves quality.
11. AI gives back 4.5-7 hours per week to Australian tech workers.
12. A manufacturing plant increased production productivity by 30% in 6 months.
Final Thoughts
Automation strategies are no longer optional; they are the critical tools that facilitate time, clarity, and productivity for all teams. Automation transforms routine work into productive work. If your team is performing repetitive work and handling too much coordination, automation could be the tool that changes your game.
