Digitisation has completely changed how we work and it continues to do so. Two of the driving forces behind this have been the way digital working makes it even easier to communicate irrespective of distance, and the ability to automate repetitive processes.
As traditional roles start to become automated, able to be completed faster, better and cheaper by technology, the role of humans in the workplace is changing. How important is the human element? Is emotional intelligence really becoming more important than IQ? We took a look at both digital connectivity and digital automation, to see if they can work together and what the benefits of each might be .
Connection
Connection is all about the human interactions within the company. Bots can connect, but humans still do it best. Humans crave connection, and technology has made it easier than ever for us to communication. Connection is at the centre of the gig economy and continues to change the way we work with each other. There’s a number of benefits to connectivity, including;
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Creating Experiences: Human connection allows for more personal interactions between a company and their customers. Although it’s seems obvious, people really value personalised relationships. Creating ‘human’ moments, checking in with clients and employees and taking the time to build a relationship makes your services stickier. Businesses who excel at communication see higher retention rates. It’s harder to leave a person you like.
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The Gig economy: The gig economy is all about offering short term positions for work rather than hiring a full-time employee. It allows organisations to scale up and down with greater ease. You can temporarily engage a specialist, outsource work to remote locations and create a more flexible work space. It’s a new concept, but the concept has taken off across the globe. Communication sits at the centre of this, you’ve got to be able to communicate with people who aren’t in your immediate vicinity, and that takes some additional effort.
Automation
On the other hand automation is all about streamlining or even completely removing manual processes. It’s not about personalised experience, but rather about getting things done quickly and effective. Automation has a number of benefits:
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Cost-Effectiveness: The cost of maintaining a system, software, or robot is usually a lot cheaper than paying an employee. This makes automation extremely appealing to many businesses who are looking to cut costs.
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Speed & Accuracy: Automation cuts down long daunting hours of repetition or waiting. Employees can begin saving their time on these tasks and start focusing on other tasks. By removing manual processes, we minimise the risk of mistakes and failure.
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It creates time for Connection: If you can automate repetitive tasks, then you get time back into the day. This time can be invested in the parts of your business that need personalisation to really succeed.
Verdict
Ultimately, a combination of both tools is necessary – Automate manual processes so that there’s time for personal connections. But we’re big believers in human, and the power of people when they work together. Connectivity is one of the best things to have come out of the digital age, and it’s one of our focuses at SuiteFiles. If you can automate things like filing emails, create documents, populating contracts and getting what you need signed. There’s more room for the services that need the human element.
Later this month, we’ll be launching a new way of connecting, designed to make it easier to use outsourced teams to maximise your efficiencies as well as making communicating with clients faster and more secure.
Want to be the first to know? Stay tuned to our socials.
