Automation is happening – and it’s bringing awesome opportunities with it. If we do it right, the majority of humans could end up with interesting, fulfilling, and enjoyable jobs, while robots do the mundane stuff. Automation could truly revolutionise human life, for the better!
But there are also worries that, if we don’t properly prepare for the automation revolution, it won’t benefit everyone like it should.
There are concerns in the UK that businesses are not properly preparing their staff for automation. Young people in particular are worried that they’re not going to be reskilled in time to avoid losing their jobs to ‘bots.
As we’ve covered before, a lot of these concerns are based on nightmarish sci-fi scenarios and media scaremongering. But it is true that automation will work a lot better for everyone if we prepare for it in advance.
So, here are some automation preparation ideas, for businesses which want to look after and reassure their employees:
Reconstruct jobs, so that humans are reassigned to high-value activities
No automated system can’t be improved with human input. People don’t necessarily have to lose their jobs to machines – the jobs they have can be modified. Think about the systems you’re bringing in, and the workforce you already have. How can you adapt your process to utilise the unique skills of your human staff? How can jobs be modified so that humans and machines are bringing the best out of one another? If you think about this in enough detail, you’ll usually find that putting automated systems onto the repetitive, mundane, time-consuming tasks opens up whole reams of human potential. Human resources are the most important aspect of any company – and you now have an unprecedented opportunity to get the absolute best out of your people, without wasting their skills on menial stuff!
Modify the work culture
Many people are mistrustful of automation right now. If the transition to automation is going to work out for everyone, workplaces need to be positive and welcoming towards the new machines and their potential. A place needs to be made for the machines within your company culture. Talk to your staff about what’s happening. Be totally transparent. Get staff involved, if you can – people are more likely to think positively about something they’ve worked on themselves. Most importantly, encourage an upbeat and optimistic attitude towards automation. Lead by example!
Create as many opportunities as you can for people to retrain.
For those whose jobs are threatened, make it as easy as you can for them to upskill and be reassigned work elsewhere within your company. Remember – reassigning humans to more skilled jobs can only benefit your company in the long run!