Think about everything you do in your work week. While you work on the big-picture projects and initiatives, there are likely numerous smaller administrative tasks you complete that may take up a large percentage of your day. Imagine cutting those tasks down while still completing them efficiently. Now, you have more time to focus on your priorities, while someone, or rather something else handles the rest and eliminates bottlenecks. How does that sound?
McKinsey estimates that as much as 45% of activities that individuals are paid to perform can be automated. In the U.S. alone, these activities amount to some $2 trillion in annual wages. An office automation system plays an important role in helping organizations to eliminate time-consuming and repetitive manual tasks. Automating manual tasks reduces errors while saving employees time and preventing burnout. Office automation helps improve data access, speed up processes, and reduce the risk of manual errors, highlighting its evolution from basic tools to sophisticated technologies. Most office automation technologies fall into the following categories:
- Electronic publishing
- Electronic communication and collaboration tools
- Image processing and document storage
- Office management
But let’s slow down for a second and break down what all of this means.
What is office automation?
Office automation refers to using software as a service (SaaS) to automate and streamline a surplus of administrative tasks and processes in an office or workplace setting. Ultimately, you leverage office automation so that you can improve efficiency, productivity, and even more importantly, accuracy in routine office tasks by utilizing advanced computer systems to collect, store, and manage data without human intervention. This form of automation can orchestrate a wide range of activities, including word processing, data entry, document management, communication systems, scheduling and calendar management, task tracking, inventory management, accounting and finance functions, and customer relationship management (CRM).
