Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 71 April 2019
Robots and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly a common enabler. They provide financial advice to bankers, planning advice to manufacturers, and customer insight to marketers. As the adoption of robotic process automation (RPA) across every sector and every business picks up speed, this is revolutionising not just the consumer experience but also the work experience. In most cases, RPA is far removed from the idea of a physical “‘robot” manually carrying out work – it is not a metallic humanoid with a digitised voice. Instead, a robot in this sense is the technology allowing organisations to configure computer software to complete various tasks.
With RPA and AI, some jobs will disappear, others modified but new work opportunities will also be created. Most employees will either manage or work with AI and data. These changes may not be comfortable for both leaders and employees, and signals change.
Firstly, employees need to focus on responsibilities rather than tasks. Consider the mundane routine tasks that consume so much of employees’ time every day, distracting them from strategic responsibilities such as planning, client relationship building or ideation. Outsourcing low-value and high-volume tasks to robots to liberate capacity in undertaking higher-value tasks sounds attractive but it will not take place “automatically”. Current workflow processes will need to be enhanced for RPA to successfully create value. Organisations will need to galvanise their workforce into automation design work groups to achieve their automation objectives, as well as to encourage employees to take ownership of their future work processes.
Secondly, employees need to value wisdom instead of knowledge. In a future where robots can process data at scale and volume in real time, what leaves desktop research, consuming reports and massive repository of facts and figures?
Leaders will need to leverage on AI to analyse data to generate solutions, while assimilating critical information updates that are provided in real-time into their decisions. Organisations need to support employees and train them in using data analytical tools, as well as other skills such as leadership and business acumen, as employees elevate themselves into higher-order value-adding roles.
Thirdly, and perhaps the most formidable change of all, is for leaders to “unlearn” trusting their instincts. Instinct-based decision-making is based on experiences, which are valid but often subject to the efficacy of the human memory and emotions. The alternative – data-driven decision-making – is based on collected data on the results and factors of each action, which will only grow as machines continue to generate data.
While employees recognise that data or facts are unbiased sources of truth, where it conflicts with their instinct, the temptation to ignore the facts is real. This leads to an erosion of trust, digitally or otherwise. Therefore, organisations will need to hold employees accountable, which will involve reviewing risk management controls and rewarding employees that consistently practice data- and fact-based decision-making.
Automation can help to take the “robot” out of humans and enable employees to extend their uniquely human qualities by adding value to responsibilities that are not easily and effectively accomplished by algorithms. Realising this potential will require all employees and organisations to challenge existing mindsets today.
About the Author Dr. Ponnappa advises clients on their People Agenda, particularly on how companies can use digital to drive workforce enablement and transformation. She has extensive experience in leading business transformation programs across the Asia-Pacific, CIS, Europe, South Africa, Middle-East, US and she is currently based in Singapore. She has deep exposure to the full life cycle of transformation management from the strategy to deployment aspects.
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