The allure of automation is undeniable. But if you automate before you consider people and culture, you may risk the entire investment. We explain why change management as part of your enterprise automation execution plan is critical \u2014 not only to avoid failed adoption but to recover the investment costs and enable the intended business outcomes.<\/p>\n
Many leaders love the idea of enterprise-wide automation<\/a>, envisioning their organization free from manual tasks and poised for nonstop innovation. With many impressive advancements at their disposal, from robotic process automation<\/a> (RPA) to artificial intelligence<\/a> (AI) and machine learning<\/a> (ML), many organizations seek out technology as their shiny solution to process automation.<\/p>\n However, to pursue enterprise automation strategically, consider taking technology off the table \u2014 at least at first.<\/strong> Achieving enterprise automation is a far more delicate process than it appears. It requires evaluating your company\u2019s processes long before implementing new technology. Equally important is prioritizing people and including them every step of the way.<\/p>\n Instead of jumping straight into the latest and greatest tech tools, first, evaluate your existing processes to proactively improve the very processes new technology means to enhance. Business process management<\/a> (BPM) identifies, implements and improves processes to align with your organization\u2019s goals. BPM will help you choose the right technology for the right reasons, justifying your time and resource spend.<\/p>\n Leaders who take a BPM approach to process automation<\/a> review an existing process to determine its purposes and pitfalls.<\/strong> Then, they redesign that process to eliminate bottlenecks and improve overall efficiency. After assessing the updated process\u2019s performance, they determine which automation tools (like RPA, AI, or ML) could improve the process further.<\/p>\n Proactively engaging in process automation ensures better data quality and streamlined resources, or you may uncover a better process altogether. Once you\u2019re ready to implement process automation, you have to consider the effect on your people.<\/p>\n Lack of communication or involvement with your impacted employees will, at best, create confusion and, at worst, some form of resistance to process automation. Many times, resistance surfaces not because of the technology itself \u2014 but rather because of a lack of awareness and inclusion early and often in the transition and project implementation.<\/p>\n Implementing process automation without considering its impact on people would be like buying an electric power scrubber to clean your kitchen floor and putting it to work but failing to tell your family your plan. When they walk into the kitchen later that day wearing muddy tennis shoes, your work is undone.<\/p>\n Organizational change management<\/a> (OCM) prepares an organization for a specific change and supports its people through that transition. An OCM approach can guide a business through many changes, from organizational restructuring to process automation, improving the overall adoption of that change.<\/strong><\/p>\n Like BPM, OCM is holistic, viewing an organization as an ongoing relationship of people, processes, technology, and performance metrics. While BPM optimizes processes to position an organization for success, OCM considers how changed processes or new technology will affect employees, customers and vendors. Put simply, BPM creates a new reality. OCM helps people adapt to it.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at a few crucial elements of OCM during your process automation initiative.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve already determined automation technology will optimize your processes. Now, consider how it will affect your employees. Will this change be a minor adjustment or a radical transformation? How widespread are the affected groups, and which are the most heavily impacted? How complex is the training need, and what resources are available to plan, develop and deliver learning platforms? Will key stakeholders need to postpone larger projects to accommodate this change?<\/p>\n Communication — informing and building awareness with people — about the change is a key element of OCM. After collaboratively planning with the few project sponsors and executive leadership to create a case for change<\/a>, you should be able to clearly articulate why the new process automation technology<\/a> benefits your employees and when and how the company plans to implement the change.<\/strong><\/p>\n Communications about the change before you launch it includes employees in the process, allowing them to ask questions and raise concerns. Understanding their day-to-day process and their ideas helps avoid implementation risks or gaps otherwise left unchecked.<\/p>\nEvaluating Your Processes: Process Automation Through a Business Process Management Lens<\/h2>\n
Prioritizing Your People: Process Automation Driven by Organizational Change Management<\/h2>\n
Four Key Elements for Implementing Change<\/h2>\n
Evaluate<\/h3>\n
Build Awareness<\/h3>\n
Build Readiness and Ability<\/h3>\n