ServiceNow Study shows that 2018 is the Year of
Automation for Routine Enterprise Work
Automation for Routine Enterprise Work
Singapore companies believe that highly
automated companies are 6 times more likely to experience revenue growth of
more than 15%
automated companies are 6 times more likely to experience revenue growth of
more than 15%
SINGAPORE – May 12, 2017 –
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) today released the results of a
new report, “Today’s State of Work: At the Breaking Point,” revealing that a
majority of organizations have introduced advanced automation in their
workplace, and nearly half of executives surveyed say that they’ll require it more
broadly by 2018 to cope with rising work volumes. The survey indicated that
adding machines to everyday work drives revenue growth, creates new job
opportunities and connects employees back to the work they want to do.
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) today released the results of a
new report, “Today’s State of Work: At the Breaking Point,” revealing that a
majority of organizations have introduced advanced automation in their
workplace, and nearly half of executives surveyed say that they’ll require it more
broadly by 2018 to cope with rising work volumes. The survey indicated that
adding machines to everyday work drives revenue growth, creates new job
opportunities and connects employees back to the work they want to do.
The company surveyed more
than 1,850 corporate leaders – C-level, VPs, directors and managers (150 from
Singapore) in seven countries to evaluate the workload of organizational
leaders, the impact and use of automation in common business services and
executives’ opinions on the future of work. The survey also evaluated the
relationship between organizational automation levels and financial
performance.
than 1,850 corporate leaders – C-level, VPs, directors and managers (150 from
Singapore) in seven countries to evaluate the workload of organizational
leaders, the impact and use of automation in common business services and
executives’ opinions on the future of work. The survey also evaluated the
relationship between organizational automation levels and financial
performance.
The Singapore findings include:
Companies are approaching a
breaking point and urgently need intelligent automation
breaking point and urgently need intelligent automation
·
By 2018, nearly half (48%) of companies say they will need greater
automation to handle the volume of tasks being generated. By 2020, nearly 9 out
of 10 companies (90%) will hit that breaking point.
By 2018, nearly half (48%) of companies say they will need greater
automation to handle the volume of tasks being generated. By 2020, nearly 9 out
of 10 companies (90%) will hit that breaking point.
·
More than three-quarters 89% say data from mobile devices and the
Internet of Things contribute to the overload.
More than three-quarters 89% say data from mobile devices and the
Internet of Things contribute to the overload.
·
97% agree that intelligent automation could increase productivity. This
includes artificial intelligence or machine learning to streamline decision
making to improve the speed and accuracy of business processes.
97% agree that intelligent automation could increase productivity. This
includes artificial intelligence or machine learning to streamline decision
making to improve the speed and accuracy of business processes.
·
Over half
of those surveyed 54% have started using intelligent automation in one or more
business processes. 90% plan to investigate or use intelligent automation
moving forward.
Over half
of those surveyed 54% have started using intelligent automation in one or more
business processes. 90% plan to investigate or use intelligent automation
moving forward.
“There is no doubt that we
are entering into a new era of automation. In a world of smarter homes, cars
and commerce, the workplace is set to experience the shift to greater
automation. The future of intelligent automation is an opportunity to free
employees from mundane and repetitive activities – allowing employees to
unleash their creativity, letting them build stronger and more productive
working relationships”, said Jimmy Fitzgerald, Vice President and General
Manager,
are entering into a new era of automation. In a world of smarter homes, cars
and commerce, the workplace is set to experience the shift to greater
automation. The future of intelligent automation is an opportunity to free
employees from mundane and repetitive activities – allowing employees to
unleash their creativity, letting them build stronger and more productive
working relationships”, said Jimmy Fitzgerald, Vice President and General
Manager,
Asia-Pacific and Japan.
More automation delivers financial
growth and promises greater productivity
growth and promises greater productivity
·
Highly automated companies are 6x more likely to experience revenue
growth of more than 15% versus companies with low automation.
Highly automated companies are 6x more likely to experience revenue
growth of more than 15% versus companies with low automation.
·
For example, those companies with more than 20% revenue growth are 61%
automated on average, whereas those with flat or negative growth are only 35%
automated.
For example, those companies with more than 20% revenue growth are 61%
automated on average, whereas those with flat or negative growth are only 35%
automated.
“There are economic benefits when companies
embrace automation and this is something they can’t ignore,” said Fitzgerald.
embrace automation and this is something they can’t ignore,” said Fitzgerald.
Fewer than half of business
processes are automated; HR and Customer Service are the worst.
processes are automated; HR and Customer Service are the worst.
·
Overall only 39% of business processes are automated, and business
leaders suffer, spending two full days or 16 hours a week on manual
administrative tasks.
Overall only 39% of business processes are automated, and business
leaders suffer, spending two full days or 16 hours a week on manual
administrative tasks.
·
IT support is the best Purchase order requisitions is the best (51%) at
business process efficiency, while Human Resources (HR) Requesting contract
review and approval from legal is the worst (15%) is the worst. IT was named
the department “most in need of a reboot.”
IT support is the best Purchase order requisitions is the best (51%) at
business process efficiency, while Human Resources (HR) Requesting contract
review and approval from legal is the worst (15%) is the worst. IT was named
the department “most in need of a reboot.”
·
Specifically, only (38%) of HR delivery of employee services are
automated and (28%) of resolving customer issues are, compared to IT services
at (46%) automated, leaving room for improvement across the board.
Specifically, only (38%) of HR delivery of employee services are
automated and (28%) of resolving customer issues are, compared to IT services
at (46%) automated, leaving room for improvement across the board.
Executives believe automation
can create jobs despite employees’ fears of job losses
can create jobs despite employees’ fears of job losses
·
A strong majority (84%) of execs believe automation could lead to job
creation.
A strong majority (84%) of execs believe automation could lead to job
creation.
·
With a similar majority (86%) of execs saying that employees are worried
that automation will eliminate jobs.
With a similar majority (86%) of execs saying that employees are worried
that automation will eliminate jobs.
·
The top three obstacles to automation adoption include: Committing the
resources (budget and personnel) required, employees’ resistance to change and
concerns about eliminating jobs. Committing the resources (budget and
personnel) required, too much time required to implement automation, concerns
about eliminating jobs.
The top three obstacles to automation adoption include: Committing the
resources (budget and personnel) required, employees’ resistance to change and
concerns about eliminating jobs. Committing the resources (budget and
personnel) required, too much time required to implement automation, concerns
about eliminating jobs.
“Contrary to popular belief,
automation will create more meaning jobs and a large majority of Singapore
executives understand this. Companies will then need to develop and evolve
their teams’ skills to help them thrive in an automated world”, said Fitzgerald.
automation will create more meaning jobs and a large majority of Singapore
executives understand this. Companies will then need to develop and evolve
their teams’ skills to help them thrive in an automated world”, said Fitzgerald.
Adding machines frees up
employees to do the work they want to do — spurring creativity
employees to do the work they want to do — spurring creativity
·
Nearly
half (46%) say that work levels have increased by 20% or more in the last year
Nearly
half (46%) say that work levels have increased by 20% or more in the last year
·
90% of executives say their skilled employees spend too much time on admin
tasks.
90% of executives say their skilled employees spend too much time on admin
tasks.
·
95% believe that reducing mundane tasks unleashes employee creativity.
95% believe that reducing mundane tasks unleashes employee creativity.
·
86% find it difficult to hire people with skills needed to grow their
business.
86% find it difficult to hire people with skills needed to grow their
business.
·
95% say automation will increase demand for soft skills such as
collaboration, creative problem solving and communication.
95% say automation will increase demand for soft skills such as
collaboration, creative problem solving and communication.
“Employees we have surveyed
feel like they are working an extra day a week,” said Fitzgerald. “By
introducing intelligent automation into the workplace, employees will be freed
up to focus on their passions and deliver creative and innovative work.”
feel like they are working an extra day a week,” said Fitzgerald. “By
introducing intelligent automation into the workplace, employees will be freed
up to focus on their passions and deliver creative and innovative work.”
Recommendations:
To avoid hitting the breaking point, ServiceNow has recommendations for
executives. Start here:
executives. Start here:
1. Identify business processes
that need improving in HR, customer service, IT or other departments
that need improving in HR, customer service, IT or other departments
2. Map out the critical business
services and automate the workloads with intelligent automation
services and automate the workloads with intelligent automation
3. Work with teams to address
concerns and provide reassurance for your roadmap
concerns and provide reassurance for your roadmap
4. Employ best practices around change management
5. Develop and evolve the team’s
skills to help them thrive in an automated world
skills to help them thrive in an automated world
Additional Resources
·
Here is an infographic on this survey data.
Here is an infographic on this survey data.
·
See the prior surveys for additional insight to these themes: from 2016,“Today’s State of Work: The Service
Experience Gap” and from 2015, “Today’s State of Work: The Productivity
Drain.”
See the prior surveys for additional insight to these themes: from 2016,“Today’s State of Work: The Service
Experience Gap” and from 2015, “Today’s State of Work: The Productivity
Drain.”
ServiceNow commissioned
Lawless Research to design and conduct a study about the state of work in
companies with 500 or more employees. The 10-minute online survey was fielded
between March 20 and April 7, 2017, in Australia, France, Germany, Mexico,
Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S. A total of 1,874 executives (who are
responsible for managing all or part of the company) completed the survey.
Survey Sampling International provided respondents from their B2B panel. Tests
of significance were conducted at the .01 level (99% probability that the
difference is real, not by chance).
Lawless Research to design and conduct a study about the state of work in
companies with 500 or more employees. The 10-minute online survey was fielded
between March 20 and April 7, 2017, in Australia, France, Germany, Mexico,
Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S. A total of 1,874 executives (who are
responsible for managing all or part of the company) completed the survey.
Survey Sampling International provided respondents from their B2B panel. Tests
of significance were conducted at the .01 level (99% probability that the
difference is real, not by chance).
About ServiceNow
Your enterprise needs to move
faster, but lack of process and legacy tools hold you back. Every day,
thousands of customer requests, IT incidents and HR cases follow their own
paths—moving back and forth between people, machines and departments.
Unstructured. Undocumented. Unimproved for years. With the ServiceNow System of
Action you can replace these unstructured work patterns of the past with
intelligent workflows of the future. Now every employee, customer and machine
can make requests on a single cloud platform. Every department working on these
requests can assign and prioritize, collaborate, get down to root cause issues,
gain real-time insights and drive to action. Your employees are energized, your
service levels improve and you realize game-changing economics. Work at
Lightspeed. To find out how, visit www.servicenow.com.
faster, but lack of process and legacy tools hold you back. Every day,
thousands of customer requests, IT incidents and HR cases follow their own
paths—moving back and forth between people, machines and departments.
Unstructured. Undocumented. Unimproved for years. With the ServiceNow System of
Action you can replace these unstructured work patterns of the past with
intelligent workflows of the future. Now every employee, customer and machine
can make requests on a single cloud platform. Every department working on these
requests can assign and prioritize, collaborate, get down to root cause issues,
gain real-time insights and drive to action. Your employees are energized, your
service levels improve and you realize game-changing economics. Work at
Lightspeed. To find out how, visit www.servicenow.com.
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