The 3 keys to automation success:
- Make automation-first a strategic imperative — It is easy to pay lip service to the importance of automation, particularly as organizations continue to grapple with the gargantuan task of digital transformation. But leaders must do more. Consider the case of Amazon where employees were given explicit targets for automating activities.
- It’s all about the people — Automation is a mindset, not a skillset. And to nudge deeply ingrained mindsets and habits, a relentless focus on people, change management and training is required. Also, adopting human-in-the-loop solutions, at least initially, appears to be a good middle ground to take as organizations navigate the human versus machines minefield.
- It’s all or nothing — Just as a chain is no stronger than its weakest link, an organization is no more effective than its most manual processes. In other words, leaders need to go all-in with automation to order to derive tangible results. This means putting in place an operating model that enables automation at scale, as well as equipping all employees with their own digital assistant.
