For many businesses, the idea of workflow automation sounds like the perfect solution. Just take the right workflow automation software, automate the repetitive tasks, reduce the associated errors, and boom; you’ve improved productivity. Simple, right?
That’s the promise. When businesses look at adopting workflow automation, they look at it from the standpoint of quicker approvals, smoother operational processes, and less manual errors. Leaders look at it as a means to increase efficiency, and even a means to cut operational costs. If automated processes are designed well, they should give back time to teams so they can focus on more strategic areas and less on the repetitive tasks.
But in reality, many automation projects struggle. Some fail completely, while some just seem to go on and on without delivering any positive results.
The truth is: Failure is not because of technology. It is the result of poor planning, unclear processes, and a lack of alignment. Most of the time, the workflow automation challenges are prevalent, and therefore, it should give a clear picture of the fate that most automation projects are set to receive.
The Real Reasons Workflow Automation Fails
- Automating with Purpose
Too often, companies make the mistake of automating a process that has not been improved previously. It is not uncommon to see an automation run that improves a workflow with an approval process, undefined roles, or unclear accountabilities and responsibilities. The process only takes an unnecessary step.
Here, we focus on workflow automation for businesses; we can digitize your process; however, we need to ensure that the process that we are digitizing makes sense; otherwise, we are simply digitizing dysfunction.
Before we invest in digitizing a workflow, we need to answer a few questions.
Is the process misunderstood? Is the process irregular? Is the process unremovable? Is the process all-encompassing?
Our focus on digitizing a function will help us to make advances in workflow automation.
- No Clear Goals
Many businesses start automation without a defined goal for a number of reasons. It’s a trend, a competitor is doing it, or in the hopes of solving an undefined problem.
Poor outcomes will come as a result of lack of direction. A successful process automation plan should have measurable objectives.
- Time per task should be defined
- How many errors were made manually
- Approval times
- Team productivity
Poorly defined outcomes will result in automation being perceived poorly.
- Lack of Employee Involvement
Resistance is created when the ‘HOW’ of a new system is implemented without involving employees who interact with the system every single day.
They feel the new system does not take into consideration the actual challenges faced, that their job may be at risk, or they may not have had the training needed to succeed.
Incorporating workflow automation into a business is successful when there is a strong emphasis on inclusion, communication, and initial employee engagement along with methodical training. All of these factors come into play during the workflow automation process.
- Automating Everything All at Once
When organizations attempt large automation projects, they make another mistake. They buy into the misconception that doing multiple department automations in parallel (like HR, Finance, Procurement, Operations) will create a rapid transformation and solve all their problems. However, they overcomplicate it and create confusion and overwhelm.
In these situations, a step-by-step approach is more effective. Start with one process that will have the biggest impact, optimize it, learn from that experience, and then continue adding automation incrementally.
Think of automation as an improvement process, not a race.
- Integration and Data Quality Problems
No amount of workflow automation software will fix the problems caused by siloed systems.
When the tools that your employees use are poorly integrated, your employees will be forced to rely on manual processes, spreadsheets, and duplicate data entry. Inconsistent data or poor-quality data will undermine the results of automation and create low trust in the system.
This is why your integration approach must be designed as part of your business workflow automation from the start. Quality data and integrated systems are the backbone of effective workflow automation implementation.
Warning Signs of Poor Automation
Unsure if your business automation is working? Here are some warning signs:
- Employees working outside the automation
- Teams manually tracking work
- No change in response/approval times
- Worsened feedback regarding the system
- Not measuring productivity gain
Prioritizing manual tasks or adding more frustration means the system is broken and needs to change. Identifying poor automation earlier will reduce overall cost in the long run.
How To Improve Workflow Automation
Most automation failures are fixable, and the following methods should work for you:
- Simplifying Automation
Write down the automation process you set in place. Simplifying the tasks, redesigning the wheel, and automation should work together.
- Setting Goals
Have two or three success metrics. Always try to keep them simple and realistic. For example:
- 30% decrease in invoice responses
- 25% decrease in manual errors
- Improve response times by two days
- Small Start, Big Goals
Have the biggest impact, and least complexity. Once the first automation has been proven to be stable and successful, you can automate additional workflows. This builds confidence in the teams and reduces risk.
- Get Your People Involved and Train Them
Successful automation of workflows hinges as much on people as it does on technology. Involve teams from the very beginning. Solicit their feedback. Describe the goals and the positive outcomes. Offer training and encourage feedback after the training has been completed.
When employees see how much easier their work is because of automation, it not only helps them, but it reduces the number of people who resist the automation process.
- Monitor and Improve Regularly
The answer is no. In the majority of successful workflows, employees see the positive impact automation has on their work. It also helps to eliminate any worker resistance.
Automation is not a “set it and forget it” process.
It is vital to evaluate the workflows on a regular basis. Automating business processes is an ongoing process and cannot remain static as your business evolves. Investing in automation also means investing in your business as a whole.
Conclusion: When Strategy Fails, Automation Fails
Failure in automation is most frequent due to a failure in strategy, not a failure in technology.
The automation of processes without involving people, setting objectives, or pacing is a recipe for failure. However, transformative results are possible when automation is aligned with business objectives; a structured strategy is adopted, and best practices for workflow automation are evident.
So, improve the process. Set the objective. Engage the team. Reduce the scope. Keep the change. If this is done, the workflow automation software will enhance efficiency, and not contribute to another failed initiative.
