Robotics in the workplace is no longer a “next generation” idea – it’s already here. Starting with business process service providers – experts at getting back office work done efficiently for companies – we’re seeing robotic process automation (RPA) beginning to be deployed with accelerating adoption. Take for example the global insurance market.
Ann is a claims adjuster at my company, Xchanging, which uses robotics process automation (RPA) on behalf of our customers as part of a comprehensive technology-enabled outsourcing strategy. Ann leads a complex project that involves processing insurance claims for the global specialty insurance market (serving over 200 countries). It’s the type of job that requires multiple steps of data entry and validation, a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. Several times each month, Ann logs on to review reports from her colleague Henry, identifying outdated insurance claims.
The speed at which Henry works is quite remarkable. Previously, Ann managed four people who would often take months to complete the work. With Henry, who was hired in June 2014, the same amount of work can be completed in mere days. That’s because Henry is a robot. Not the walking and talking kind you might picture; he's an intelligent software program. This is the concept of RPA -- enabling software to function as a full-time employee.
With Henry “manning” the fort in Xchanging’s London headquarters, Ann’s workplace has gone virtual – she’s able to log on from home, avoiding the need to keep work moving in the office. And two of her colleagues have graduated to more fulfilling roles working directly with insurance brokers. A win for all.
Henry is one of 27 robots within Xchanging’s virtual workforce. He has been taught to automatically trigger decisions on multi-step, administrative tasks, like data entry.
RPA is one of the latest examples of workplace robotics taking over processes previously assigned – or outsourced – to humans. Thanks to significant early savings (ranging between 20 and 40 percent depending on the project), combined with a 24x7 source of uninterrupted labor and quality assurance, its adoption is projected to grow exponentially over the coming years.
Xchanging’s case offers a glimpse into what the future could hold for office workers around the globe, as robotics and automation force many to transition from process work to knowledge management.
The future is now
In some cases, the future is already here.
On a single computer monitor in our offices, RPA managers track the progress of each robot (or virtual employee). Dozens of Internet browsers on the screen provide a window into each robot’s productivity in real time. One window shows spreadsheets being manipulated by Henry, as he copies claims data into an online database. Another shows Henry’s colleague, Poppy, busy triggering data validation forms.
Poppy and Henry are office favorites and frequent topics of discussion at office parties, where you’re likely to hear a claims adjuster discuss how their robot colleague helped solve a tricky validation problem. In fact, the robots have become so popular, that managers now maintain a wishlist of sorts, with employees requesting tasks to be automated.
This level of peaceful coexistence didn’t come overnight, however. We planned employee workload with automation in mind. Robotics champions introduced automation to employees at office road shows. And managers began mapping out areas for process re-engineering, with technology-enabled, automated workflows in mind.
It would be naïve to think all such projects will avoid job cuts. But planning employee workflow well in advance and communicating clearly and consistently on the goals of automation help to facilitate trust.
Don’t get left behind
From mechanical arms assisting on assembly lines to office automation like RPA, robotics in the workplace continues to fuel intense debate. Some worry about job cuts, while others argue that robots are simply taking over less desirable tasks so humans can take on more rewarding ones, such as with Ann’s team mentioned earlier.
Whatever the argument, with the current pace of innovation in workplace robotics, it’s clear we’re headed toward a more virtual workforce blending robots with humans. Robotic automation, along with other business process digitization techniques, will continue to drive process improvement and deliver cost savings.
With automation on the rise, businesses, service providers, and employees must learn to embrace it or risk being left behind. Managers must prepare to accommodate a hybrid workforce, and employees must ready themselves for robot colleagues. With proper planning and communication, humans and robots will successfully coexist in the office of the future (and in some cases, they already are).
Rob Myers is the group executive lead for robotic process automation at Xchanging, a global, publicly listed provider of business and technology services. Myers is also Global Chief Operating Officer for the company’s business process services group and Managing Director of Xchanging’s UK Insurance division.