Process automation and remote work

Blog: AuraQuantic Blog

The COVID 19 crisis has put the world
economy in turmoil and has exposed companies with a lack of digital
transformation. The fact that working remotely has become the only possible
work option has taken many companies by surprise and they soon realized that they
were not ready for the challenge. Companies that had already digitized their operations,
have pleasantly discovered that process automation and remote work are a great
combination.

In March, Sage Spain published an article,
titled: “40%
of SMEs cannot operate their businesses through remote working“. The
press release contained the following statements:

Nearly 40% of Spanish SMEs consider that working from home does not allow them to run their business in an efficient way. Sixty-seven percent believe that this will negatively affect their business.

67% believe the situation will affect businesses negatively.

In general, there is scepticism regarding remote working, even though 61% are not clear on whether remote working will benefit their business.

52% of SMEs do not see remote working as beneficial if they do not have the right management tools.

Remote Work — Based on the data in the SAGE article, we can conclude that **Spanish SMEs are not fully prepared to work from home**.

There are two statements in this article
that can provide us with a clear view on the situation:

Companies that are having serious doubts about the remote working model have modernised some of their processes, but do not yet have a comprehensive digitalisation approach that includes all their processes.

Their investments in software have been mainly geared at strengthening communication channels such as access to the Internet, email, web, etc., which are undoubtedly essential but do not provide value in terms of monitoring the organisation.

Face-to-face work vs. process automation and remote work

Face-to-face work undoubtedly has many
benefits. Sharing a physical space with co-workers helps to strengthen the team
bonds and there are certain types of meetings that are always best held in
person. Indeed, a text-based conversation, or a video conference with
connection problems, is not always the best option.

However, these circumstances cannot serve
as an excuse, nor hide a reality. Too many businesses today still rely too
heavily on manual workflows and paper forms.

Paper is not the only problem

We often associate manual processes with
paper, but there can also be multiple failings in a digital workflow that make
it difficult to manage the entire organization in a remote working environment.

For example, managing a workflow through
emails or spreadsheets is as inefficient as doing it on paper.

It is true that we have the infrastructure
to get the tasks to the right people. But we’re still very inefficient at
keeping track of how the task is progressing. For example, sending a contract
by mail for revision and approval means that the people who must intervene in
the procedure are naturally going to ask themselves the following questions:

Is this the latest version of the contract?

Who is working on the contract now?

Who will sign it later?

The solution is to automate processes and remote work!

Companies, that are undertaking digital
transformation, that realise this implies more than simply modernizing some of
their processes and involves a vision that includes automating 100% of their
processes, have already established the necessary foundation for remote
working.

Workflow is the key to automation and the
only way to ensure that all the tasks that are part of the organization will be
carried out in a consistent manner. this refers to the way tasks move through
the organization, the order in which tasks are going to be executed, the people
and the systems that are going to be involved.

In addition, and more importantly, it avoids
unnecessary work and work duplication.

Optimizing the efficiency of remote work

Working remotely means being connected to
colleagues and clients through mobile devices, laptops, etc. However, just as
when we work face-to-face, it is necessary to record our work and, when
required, assign tasks to other people to manage them.

Process automation and remote working platforms

A process automation solution can help us
manage change in a structured way. There are already options on the market,
such as the AuraPortal
teleworking solution, that include processes to manage our activity
calendars, purchase requests, documentation, or sick leave.

These types of solutions also include tools
that enable us to develop new processes. They will provide a solution for the
new internal and external needs (customers, suppliers, etc.) that may arise.

These tools will also record the
organizations activities, which is an essential benefit of digitizing
processes. For this reason, we will have absolute control of all the organization’s
activities through reports and graphs that will help us in the decision-making
process.

To conclude, it becomes apparent that with
the right approach, remote working may in fact be an efficient, valid work
model.

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