Today, modern businesses are always looking for new ways to improve workplace productivity.  This is often achieved by streamlining day-to-day tasks, which reduces the amount of time employees need to complete basic tasks.

By reducing the time taken to perform each action, businesses can see significant cost savings across the board.  This automation process can also be applied to business operations.  Continued advancements in software and computer hardware have accelerated the adoption of process automation in office environments.

What is Process Automation?

A business process can be viewed as a chain of activities that link together to accomplish a goal.  In most cases, this process can be represented by a flow chart.  Different business management processes could include anything from corporate governance to strategic planning.  In terms of operational processes, this can include things like marketing, sales, and activities involved in the manufacturing process.  This also covers supporting processes like finance activities, technical support and the recruitment process.

With process automation, you can review existing processes within your business, which will help to identify any potential inefficiency in operational, management and supporting processes.  This can help businesses to streamline critical processes, which will help reduce wasteful and inefficient activity.

Process Automation can also include the installation of software tools to help facilitate a number of essential processes.  Companies like GoCanvas offer a mobile platform that makes it super easy for businesses to automate how work is completed, with customized forms and work processes.  This easily replaces expensive paperwork-heavy processes.  These types of mobile platforms can easily be customized by a business to help empower their workforce.

Benefits of Process Automation

Just like in manufacturing, the vast majority of business processes can also benefit from process automation.  When you introduce automated processes into your business, the overall goal is to minimise wasted time by streamlining the resources available to your employees.

A great example of how your business could benefit from a process automation app is through electronic forms.  Employees will easily be able to send PDF’s of completed paperwork and forms via email and any data from your forms can be transferred or exported for analysis.

Key to Successful Process Automation

The successful implementation of process automation requires a buy-in from all levels of your business.  All employees will need to be aware of the added benefits process automation will bring and understand that investment will help create a significant return.

When looking at the inefficiencies within your business, it is often helpful to make use of a cloud-based, mobile app platform that can quickly replace all paper forms with a range of highly customizable mobile business apps.  With this type of mobile platform, data can be filled out and shared in real time.  This means there is no need to worry about any delays in the paperwork process.

Process automation will also give employees more time to spend on creative and value-adding tasks.  Plus, workplace automation can also be viewed as an opportunity to learn new skills.  As automation progresses, workers will be required to adapt and learn new skills that are not easily automated.