Automation trends for 2022
As we kicked off 2022, one of the biggest questions that we have, apart from “when can we attend events again”, and “how long will the global paper crisis last”, is what the trends for 2022 are.
Where are we heading? And what do I need to do to stay in the race?
Business leaders are stepping up
Companies are eager to automate. And while automation used to lie at the IT departments’ desks to be pitched to managers for potential investment, things have never been more different. Business leaders are now the ones pushing automation forward at warp speed.
No code or low code automation
Pre-designed workflows, user-friendly software, intuitive drag-and-drop interface… Automation has never been as user-friendly as now.
The days where you could only automate with prior programming knowledge seems to be a thing of the past. Automation software is providing a front-end for users with low to no programming knowledge. Making automation more accessible than ever.
Focus on important and valuable work
By automating, we are improving employee satisfaction, as they can focus on higher-value tasks. We are not talking about repetitive tasks only. Repetitive tasks are one thing. But we are also talking about the wasted time in navigating between 101 applications, opening and closing different software, finding workflows between different hardware/software, …
Take away that wasted time, and it will free up your employees’ time, to focus on collaborative efforts, exploring creative solutions.
Not only that, but it will also create more time to focus on the interaction with the customer. And a happy customer is a loyal customer.
The Hybrid workplace is here to stay
If Covid-19 showed us something these past two years, is that being in the office five days a week is a thing of the past. As the world is opening back up, and the light at the end of the tunnel is in view, (at least, we hope) companies are pushing digital transformation so that employees can work from home.
Let’s take ourselves as an example. Together with Esko, we have moved to a new office building, tailored to 2 office days per week. The other 3 days, we’ll work from home. We’ve installed this policy permanently. We’ll be coming to the office for meetings and tasks impossible to automate (for now).
Sustainability
A misconception about automation is that it often goes hand in hand with waste and bigger usage of resources, while nothing could be further from the truth.
Automation lowers the margin of error in processes, making the process of trial and error obsolete. Which leads to a bigger ROI, fewer resources spend, and a more sustainable work environment.
Need for speed
With the uncertainty of the past two years, paired with the high speed of digital transformation, businesses need to achieve their ROI faster than before. There is a race between competing businesses, and automating your business fast will be key to winning the race.
So buckle up your seatbelt Dorothy, cuz Kansas is going bye-bye.
Start your automation journey here:
- PitStop Pro – PDF editing and preflight
- PitStop Server – PDF workflow automation
- Switch – Automation development platform
- BoardingPass – PDF file checking for customer service
- Connect YOU and Connect ALL – PDF quality control for agencies