A healthy relationship with automation is based on understanding needs. On the one hand, we have the needs of the organization and the goals of automation initiatives. On the other hand, the employee and his daily challenges, but also concerns. The key to understanding these mutual needs is always open communication.

Open communication builds engagement

Open communication is one of the pillars of a healthy and effective work environment. The role of managers is to understand and communicate the broader context of the tasks performed. They show the goals and importance of the initiatives undertaken, and set their priorities. The openness of managers builds a sense of security and encourages sharing ideas for improvements.

The same is true for automation initiatives. Knowing the goals of automation and the individual benefits that it will allow employees to achieve increases engagement in generating process innovations. The space for sharing everyday challenges and the opportunity to discuss them within the team creates conditions for process improvement.

Do we need to talk about open communication?

In organizations that focus on a culture of innovation and openness, such steps may seem obvious. Regular strategic communication, and even involving employees in building this strategy, are embedded in their DNA. Employees then know what to expect and feel confident in their work environment (at least until the next transformation :).

Unfortunately, a good example does not always come from the top. Sometimes this is associated with a lot of pressure to optimize, and sometimes it results from the concerns of managers who themselves are not sure where the adventure with automation will take them. This causes concerns in openly communicating goals. And these concerns are then transferred to employees.

A person torn away from their desk and asked to present their process, which “must be automated”, will not feel good or confident. Perhaps taken by surprise, they will tell all the secrets of the tasks performed, but the cost will be discouragement, fear and uncertainty about their future professional situation.

As the research results show, automation rarely leads to employment reductions. Typically, automation is for positions with natural turnover, while experienced individuals find more interesting challenges within the same organization. So there is no point in arousing such negative emotions at the beginning of automation initiatives.

So how do you organize your first automation meeting?

Communication is key, and we will prepare it before the first meeting. If we have planned regular sessions with the team, it is worth giving context to the planned automation activities. It is best to show the expected benefits from the employees’ perspective in relation to current difficulties, e.g.:

• reduced time pressure,
• limited overtime, especially during periods of increased work, or
• the possibility of taking on more interesting tasks.

Then it is worth explaining what this automation is all about. We can show examples of how the technology works and what processes it can perform. If we have a demo robot at our disposal – let’s show it in action. This will not only allow us to get used to the idea of ​​​​working with a robot, but also facilitate the generation of new ideas for improvements.

Now we can talk about the course of process analyses and implementation projects. Let’s say what we will need during the process presentation, what questions we will ask and what the effect of these conversations will be. In this way, we enable both substantive and mental preparation, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the analytical session.

An employee who is informed in this way has the foundation to build a healthy relationship with automation. If they see it as an opportunity for themselves, they will want to get involved in improvements. Properly involving them in the idea generation process and analyzing possibilities brings tangible results, both for the organization and the employee. And it simply creates pleasant working conditions for everyone.

What was your first encounter with automation like? I encourage you to share your comments!