Table of contents
Automation has revolutionized business processes, creating new career opportunities in the process. However, concerns persist that with the implementation of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), job losses are only a matter of time. In this article, we aim to dispel some of these fears.
Process automation (RPA) is a true revolution
After implementing RPA, mundane, repetitive, and rule-based digital tasks are largely taken over by software robots. By maintaining proper attention to security, organizations can ensure operational flawlessness and increase the efficiency and accuracy of their workflows. It is no surprise, therefore, that Robotic Process Automation, initially implemented on a large scale in the IT industry, has expanded its influence to other sectors, such as finance, accounting, and banking. These sectors value the savings generated, as well as the advantages that this solution offers when combined with other tools and technologies. For example, integration with the Cloud allows for the introduction of additional features and even greater optimization.Do RPA robots need to be supervised?
The aforementioned software robots can be divided into attended, unattended, and hybrid types. As one might easily guess, this distinction is related to the scope of their operations. Attended bots are used for tasks that cannot be fully automated. As the name suggests, they require human intervention, while performing only specific actions independently. They are primarily used in front-office processes, where they interact with an operator in a way that resembles working with an assistant who receives specific instructions and reacts to them. Due to their nature, they must be operated by one person, so they are not used on a large scale within a company. They serve dedicated purposes—most often to free up time resources and optimize costs. Unattended robots, also known as autonomous bots, operate independently without human interference, and their use means that the process is fully automated. They work continuously 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They are most often incorporated into back-office processes to perform repetitive, predictable, and time-consuming activities that follow specific patterns and steps.RPA and employee job loss
The fact that software is available on the market that can work tirelessly and replace humans in many tasks raises understandable anxiety. However, RPA is not intended to reduce the human workforce, but rather to reorganize it. To make the best use of the available potential, employees should be unburdened and provided with support in the least creative tasks. For example, the average IT specialist spends 80% of their working time on mundane duties related to system maintenance. Support from the right software would allow them to focus on innovations that are crucial from a business perspective. Technological progress in the form of automation would therefore help in acquiring new competencies and retraining, without depriving the employee of their job. RPA can also be thought of in a similar way to outsourcing. In both cases, there is less need for internal resources to be heavily involved in handling business processes. However, they are still essential for performing work that requires cognitive abilities and is of strategic importance to the organization’s goals. This creates room for new positions and career paths.Is RPA the future of work for employees? RPA and new job opportunities
As mentioned earlier, the assumption that many people will lose their jobs as a result of robotization is incorrect. The fact is that once specific tasks are automated, new professional opportunities will emerge. However, these will require a specific set of skills and specialized knowledge. People with knowledge of robotization technology already have plenty of choices in the market. For example, an RPA developer can work in roles such as:- Process Designer, who analyzes business requirements and processes and monitors changes that occur after the implementation of bots in the development or testing phase,
- Automation Architect, responsible for creating the RPA project using appropriate tools,
- Production Manager, who, after implementation into production, is tasked with ensuring that processes are running correctly and that exceptions are handled appropriately.
