The Automation Conundrum

Process automation is one of the hottest topics in boardrooms because of the opportunities automation brings to aid recovery, help counter cybersecurity risks and facilitate better ways of working in new, hybrid environments. However, research we recently commissioned in association with Public Sector Executive and Workato, found that although automation is on the roadmap for many organisations, few have actually invested and many do not have an automation strategy in place.

Check out our on-demand webinar that we hosted to discuss the findings, and see a short overview below.

Automation adoption is not moving at pace, despite it being on the roadmap for many organisations

51% of responders stated that automation is a business priority and 79% of public bodies have seen their digital transformations accelerate since the beginning of the pandemic, but automation has only been adopted by 16%. This shows the huge appetite for automation but also highlights the need for organisations to move forward faster in defining their strategy and securing investment.

There’s a lack of understanding about the technologies available

One of the reasons that investment is not more forthcoming may be the general lack of awareness and understanding of the automation technologies available. More than 50% of respondents are unaware of any of the automation technologies referenced in the survey.

Siloed systems and platforms create challenges for the majority of respondents

63% of respondents claim that siloed systems are a challenge in their organisation; this is likely a result of the rapid implementation of new technology and cloud platforms to deal with the immediate challenges created by the lockdown.

This has created a proliferation of platforms that aren’t connected and which many employees may not be fully versed in using. System integration and process automation can quickly resolve these issues to optimise technology investments and free up time for staff to upskill and realise the benefits of the technology.

Automation and integration at scale

The benefits of implementing automation technology are widely recognised, but lack of knowledge and awareness of the automation technologies available is hindering investment. The pandemic has accelerated digital transformations, but rapid digitalisation has its challenges, where a short-term need overlooks long-term business goals and strategic direction.

The rapid digitalisation witnessed over the period of the pandemic has caused an urgent need for organisations to invest in technology that connects and integrates disconnected systems and processes. This is where the right Integration Platform as a Service platform (iPaaS) really comes into its own.

20% of respondents recognise the benefits that iPaaS can deliver and are considering it as part of their technology strategy, but investment is low and we need to increase general awareness of the transformations systems such as these can deliver quickly and for long-term gain.

We work with a Gartner leading iPaaS provider, Workato, because of the simplicity of this incredibly powerful tool that enables platform integration and process automation at scale. We were delighted that Workato could partner with us on this research report to help us to better understand where we need to focus our efforts to inform our target audience of the opportunities the right automation strategy creates to transform ways of working.

Read the full research report here.