Top 15 Benefits of IT Automation

by | Oct 24, 2022

Man standing with keyboard setting up IT automation

As companies continue to develop new technology strategies, IT automation has been at the forefront of modern changes. With 70% of organizations using or creating a digital transformation strategy, embracing new approaches has become essential to staying competitive. Tech innovations aren’t simply about trying new ideas either. They’re also driven by productivity and cost-saving needs. That has become increasingly difficult to maintain output, please consumers, and stay profitable.

Yet, even with modernization, new challenges have also appeared. Globally, 51% of organizations have noted skill gaps increasing as more top talent shifts to digital. With that gap, traditional teams struggle to keep pace. That has led to increased internal conflicts in companies that hesitate to commit to one approach. Automating parts of the digital workflow can avoid some of those issues, as those processes have an easier learning curve when less of the burden is put on the employee. There are many other benefits too.

Table of Contents

1. Improved ROI
2. Data Analytics
3. Better Time Usage
4. Automation Testing
5. Cybersecurity
6. Employee Engagement
7. Scalable Functions
8. Process Standardization
9. Enhanced IT Compliance
10. Consistent Performance
11. Easier Collaboration
12. Happier Customers
13. Improved Workflow
14. Less Human Errors
15. Worker Safety

1. Improved ROI

When making a spending decision, companies factor in return on investment (ROI) to help decide whether the cost is worth it. Not only can automation provide a lot of value for its price, but it can also do so quicker than many financial investments due to its immediate impact. Calculating the ROI requires various factors, which depend on the industry and the need. Software solutions are easier to budget for, while automating equipment-based roles can require more upfront investment.

2. Data Analytics

Businesses have always been reliant on some degree of analytics. What’s changed in recent years is the availability of increasingly complex tools to help automate the process. When linked to a company’s IT infrastructure, data can be interpreted and visualized in easier-to-understand ways. Alert systems can also be automated, allowing staff to be notified of both good and bad data trends. That allows for a quicker response and a more flexible business strategy based on changing marketing conditions.

3. Better Time Usage

Time is one of the most valuable commodities for any person or business. However, it’s not always easy to use smartly. A lot of time is spent on basic tasks that require minimal effort or thought but are still important enough that they can’t be skipped. Simple daily tasks often don’t need human input to do successfully, making automating an impactful way to free up that time. Employees can then redirect their attention towards duties that require more engagement and can’t be as easily automated.

4. Automation Testing

Developing and maintaining software stacks can be time-consuming and hard for any company. Every change or fix can lead to new problems for what’s being modified and for anything linked to it. That can make testing and troubleshooting increasingly complex. Even simple errors may have unusual causes. Automation testing handles the legwork by running a broad spectrum and high-frequency series of tests to uncover issues. Once discovered, they’re communicated to the IT team, which can make fixes based on what’s reported.

5. Cybersecurity

As software security solutions have grown more reliable, it’s become clear one of the greatest risks is the human element. In a 2021 study, 42% of workers admitted to taking a high-risk action. That includes clicking unknown links, downloading unsafe files, and revealing personal data or login credentials. Additionally, 56% of those with access to employer-issued devices admitted to giving access to friends and family, further increasing the risk. Automated processes can only do what they’re programmed to, making them unable to make the same higher-risk choices.

6. Employee Engagement

An employee’s ability to engage with their work directly impacts a company’s profitability. Businesses with the highest engagement rate are 21% more profitable than their competitors. It also leads to other benefits like higher employee retention, greater job satisfaction, and improved productivity. IT automation can handle routine and unengaging functions. That allows staff to focus more time on work with higher engagement.

7. Scalable Functions

In many workplaces, the frequency and size of tasks can change week-to-week. Employees have a limited work capacity, and while there may be some flexibility, there is a limit to what each person can do. That means that larger-scale changes require hiring more staff to keep up with the increased workload. However, IT automation can get around that due to scalability. Systems already in place can handle larger changes, and with the right IT team, specialists can also upgrade them to take on new tasks.

8. Process Standardization

Standardization of processes can improve the overall efficiency of a business. Doing so is not always easy, though, as every person may have slightly different approaches to accomplishing the same goal. Companies can use automating procedures to improve standardization by applying consistent guidelines. While there may still be some variance in employee work approach, a regulated framework can produce a better result.

9. Enhanced IT Compliance

There are a lot of guidelines that businesses must follow to maintain IT compliance. They’re meant to protect both consumers and organizations, with data security and privacy being central themes. Automation allows for more hands-off data management, meaning fewer people can access sensitive information. As a result, that makes maintaining a compliant IT infrastructure easier and reduces the number of vulnerabilities that puts it at risk.

10. Consistent Performance

When running a business, consistency ensures everything is done promptly and in a predictable way. It also helps maintain a similar level of quality with its work output or delivery of a product. Automation is defined by the limits it’s programmed to work within. In contrast, human employees are naturally influenced by factors in their life and workplace, which can create more variabilities in their day-to-day performance. That makes automated tasks more consistent because it removes unpredictable elements.

11. Easier Collaboration

When collaborating with other workers, communication, shared data access, organization, team morale, and more are all factors in the process. Automation can free up employee resources by handling the low-level aspects of projects. It can also offer quality-of-life improvements, such as progress tracking, automatic reminders, scheduling, team updates, and data-triggered alerts. The less busywork there is, the more staff can focus on higher level coordination and decision making.

12. Happier Customers

Customer satisfaction is an essential element of any successful business. There are many ways to contribute to that, one of which is responsiveness. When making a purchase or getting support with something, too much waiting can leave a client frustrated and less likely to be a repeat customer. With 90% of consumers viewing an immediate response as important, manual replies are not always practical or quick enough. Automation can instantly handle chatbots, product purchasing, request processing, and other low-level tasks requiring little human involvement.

13. Improved Workflow

Routine tasks can leave workers busy with minor needs that use up time that’s often better used in other ways. Rather than hiring more staff to handle the extra duties or reducing the output of the role, IT automation can be used to improve the overall workflow. It can do many types of repetitive work that require little engagement. In turn, that frees up time for workers to give more attention to more critical areas.

14. Less Human Errors

Human errors can lead to unexpected consequences, especially in industries where mistakes can be costly. For manual data entry, accuracy can be as low as 96%, meaning there can be as many as 400 mistakes per 10,000 entries. Depending on the industry, that can damage both the organization and its clients. While double entry can raise that estimate close to 100%, it requires double the data clerks to maintain the same rate. IT automation can provide comparable accuracy improvements without the need for extra staffing.

15. Worker Safety

While human error is always a concern, manufacturing and other higher-risk jobs must also factor in worker safety. In U.S. workplaces, injuries cost companies more than $59 billion annually. Not only is it bad for the employee, but it can also be difficult to hire fill-ins. Repetitive hand motions, running machinery, and distracted employees are some of the leading causes of injury. Fortunately, IT can be used to automate many at-risk tasks, making it useful for everything from computer systems to fabrication.

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