Thank you for joining us for Part 2 of the series on automation mistakes and ways to avoid them. This portion deals with the implementation process:
- Automating the wrong processes or everything at once. If you’ve followed the first two steps, this probably won’t be an issue, but you still want to be careful where and how you implement your plan. For example, if HR is struggling to keep up with new hires and demands on employee relations, but you decide to automate the shipping department first, that may end up frustrating your employees and creating a bigger issue for the department already stressed out. Likewise, don’t get overly excited and implement a huge plan all at one, overwhelming your staff too soon.
Solution: Carefully evaluate the areas in your daily business practices that are slowing down workflow in general and branch out from there. In the example above, if your HR department is maxed out, bring the automation discussion to their attention first, showing them that you want to help make their jobs easier while also developing a better system for your business overall. Alternatively, they may say a new process is the last thing they want to deal with in that moment of crisis, and you may want to take a step back and approach the new plan later for that department. Each business setup is different, so you must make sure you take into consideration how your employees operate and how your business functions optimally. Likewise, take the automation process department by department or process by process rather than changing your entire business structure in a day. Going a little slower allows for employees to get acquainted with the new system, gain an understanding of how everything works, and feel comfortable with the new procedures before adding more to their plate. - Not considering your employees. Sure, a snazzy automation system may look good on paper, but not considering your staff before making this big decision can create resentment toward a system that would otherwise be great. The human factor is important when considering any progressive decisions of the business and it’s best if your employees are prepared and informed or, even better, have a say in what happens.
Solution: Ask yourself these questions before getting too deep—are my employees qualified to handle this new plan, and do they really need their current workflow automated? If you feel the answers to these two questions is yes, then take the next step and discuss with your team how they feel about an automated system and find out any suggestions they may have for the new procedure. Doing this promotes engagement and makes your employees feel valued and understood. Not only will this create a better system overall, but it makes for a better workplace morale.
When it comes to business automation, the benefits will be plentiful if you go about it in a thoughtful and careful way. To ensure your business automation ideas are designed and executed effectively, reach out to Premier Computing today.
