In a business world increasingly powered by automated tools, some workers fear that robots will eventually replace humans altogether.
The reality is that automated systems exist to enhance human capabilities and will never be able to fully replace people.
Emotional intelligence and creativity, combined with empathy, are uniquely human attributes that are fundamental to government agencies’ and departments’ ability to deliver citizen-centric experiences. However, automated systems can prove invaluable in freeing up people from repetitive tasks to focus on what they do best.
Robotic process automation (RPA) is a technology in which software applications, referred to as robots, mimic human interactions with other systems.
The processes automated using RPA tend to be tedious, time consuming, and error prone when completed manually. Importantly, they tend to be the tasks that people don’t enjoy doing; they’re necessary for the organisation but don’t improve employee engagement or fulfilment.
When orchestrated properly, the robots can complete these tasks faster, more efficiently, and with no errors. This frees up human workers to spend more time interacting with customers, developing innovative solutions to challenges, and creating opportunities for improvement.
New machinery of government
When it comes to government organisations, manual processes tend to proliferate. Processing various types of applications, determining funds distribution, and answering citizen enquiries without requiring human intervention are just some of the ways that RPA can be deployed in the public sector. In fact, in a recent report, Deloitte referred to RPA as “the new machinery of government”.
Public sector organisations are grappling with increasing amounts of work, particularly as new services and safety nets are deployed in response to COVID-19. Automation is the most effective and efficient way to address this overwhelming caseload. The outcomes can include a vastly improved citizen experience as well as lower costs and higher efficiencies.
Just three of the many areas where RPA can deliver significant benefits include:
1. Financial processes
Invoicing and accounts payable are ideal for automation because they are highly rules-driven, surrounded by compliance requirements, and error-prone. The cost of errors can be high. Programming software robots to complete these tasks automatically, flagging exceptions for human intervention, is an ideal way to overcome these risks.
2. HR management
HR is paperwork-intensive, with onboarding and offboarding, payroll, and data management requirements putting pressure on HR professionals to work quickly and accurately. Automated systems can take on this burden, increasing speed and accuracy, while freeing up HR professionals to focus on the human side of their job.
3. Form processing and decision-making
RPA can be used to process applications and forms, and even determine whether an application should be approved. This can speed up crucial processes like allocating and distributing payments to people in need, assigning resources to people in distress, and handing out support packages to businesses that need them. Applying RPA to this process can mean people get the help they need, when they need it.
As valuable as RPA can be to help improve efficiencies and save costs, there is one crucial way in which human beings will never be replaced by robots. While RPA is rules-driven, it is most suited to situations that require a clearly defined outcome. And, even furnished with all the relevant data in the world, an automated system can’t make a nuanced decision the way a person can. The human, emotional intelligence layer is required to ensure nothing is missed and the right decision is made.
Unlocking valuable insights
For example, when humans are freed from repetitive, tedious, manual work of processing applications, they can review exceptions more humanely, tapping into their emotional intelligence to unlock valuable insights, view the information in context, and apply empathy in their role in serving citizens.
Simply processing raw data lacks the human element that factors in sensitivity and morality. This is where people excel compared with robots.
When RPA and people work together effectively, it becomes possible not only to complete tasks faster and with fewer errors, but also to get the important decisions right.
This results in a vastly improved customer experience for citizens and it can also lead to better job satisfaction for employees who feel empowered to apply their own intuition, common sense, and empathy when working with members of the public.
This, combined with significant cost savings and efficiency gains, makes RPA an unmissable opportunity for government organisations.
Marie Stavropoulos, federal government director, Micro Focus
