Lack of understanding holds back automation

Businesses are missing out on automation because they don't understand the technology according to a new report.

The study from business automation specialist V1 finds a number of misconceptions about robotic process automation (RPA) including that 22 percent of people think RPA requires a physical robot.

Nearly a quarter (24 percent) say it's expensive and half of the poll's respondents think RPA will take their jobs, while 16 percent say it will damage workforce morale.

V1's director Dean McGlone says:

People continue to believe that walking and talking robots are threatening our jobs but this couldn't be further from the truth. RPA is not a physical robot. Rather, it's a software robot or tool with machine learning capabilities for the touchless processing of tasks that are time-consuming and repetitive. What this means is that RPA can actually change job roles for the better.

It can enable the workforce to work smarter, not harder -- freeing up staff to gain greater control, enabling more incisive decision-making as well as improving productivity and morale. Businesses therefore needn't expect so-called robots to replace humans in the workplace any time soon.

On a more positive note, 28 percent of V1's survey respondents believe the biggest impact RPA will have on the workforce is increased productivity. When asked which job functions will benefit most from RPA, 34 percent say the supply chain followed by finance (29 percent), HR and payroll (26 percent) and compliance (11 percent).

"Ultimately, RPA's potential is huge but it will only become mainstream if we challenge the misconceptions and improve understanding around robotics," adds McGlone. "This starts with educating people what RPA actually is and how it can be used to their advantage at work."

You can find out more about the misconceptions surrounding RPA on the V1 site.

Photo Credit: Willyam Bradberry/Shutterstock