Should we fear automation or embrace the changes? You decide. Here's what we think... 

Automation has had a substantial impact on UK business, however, it has also given employees a great cause for concern. People are concerned that they will be rendered redundant by the growth of technology. This concern is particularly apparent among young people who are only just entering the workplace. In 2016, a report from the Future Foundation that 45% of young people in the UK were concerned that technology would soon replace them.

Here's what Workvine's Directors think about automation in the workplace -  Managing Director Mark Hobbs said “Streamlining processes and having greater efficiency through automation saves time and money. We’ve always looked at ways to reduce admin, which is generally where you want to have some kind of automation”.

However, Mr. Hobbs was also conscious about the need for human input. “Personally, I feel that there should always be a human decision because a computer doesn’t understand culture, ethics, personality, so it’s important to have human interaction and understand automation". 

"Employers have got to communicate changes effectively, the benefits of change. Employers must ensure the appropriate training is given to employees on new technologies or automation and why it’s happening. It is a challenge for the future where employees may have phobias to technology. Showing employees that the personal touch is still vitally important when serving colleagues and customers and that can’t be replaced by technologies or automation"

Mr. Hobbs added "Employees have to embrace technology and see the value of improved efficiencies so they can focus more on delivering the service or solution that they provide". " In some cases, automation will kill jobs in the future, but then other jobs will be created that do not exist now, so just like social media consultants didn’t exist 15 years ago".

Talentvine's Sales Director Kelly Jackson also shared some interesting food-for-thought, highlighting the benefits of an automation process. “The positive aspect of automation in the workplace is that it can reduce repetitive tasks that are extremely time consuming and allows people to concentrate on other areas of the business that can ONLY be completed by a human and not a machine!”

Ms. Jackson continued "I think automation is great, when I am recruiting for a new member of the sales team I use our own technology to post the vacancy to multiple sources and I automate pre screening questions and rejection emails". "It leaves me with more time to concentrate on quality candidates". "I also automate the sharing of our client's vacancies to my social media platforms!"

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