Covid-19 has caused nearly half of global businesses to increase their adoption of RPA, according to a new report. The Future of Work: A Pandemic Spotlight found 48 percent of the respondents in a poll conducted by Forrester are planning to increase RPA spend over the next 12 months.
The current pandemic has demonstrated need in several areas of their operations where respondents felt RPA will help their organizations. Eighty-three percent of those polled said they would direct RPA resources to enhance the agility, diversity and resilience in their supply chain. Eight out of ten said the pandemic has forced them to automate their back office and operational tasks and RPA would be a cost-effective way to do that. Finally, three quarters of respondents indicated RPA would help them support remote workforces.
“The pandemic has turned the world upside down, and the shock has greatly accelerated businesses’ march toward the future of work. Automation has emerged as an invaluable asset for organizations to embrace this changing way of work,” said Tom Clancy, senior vice president of UiPath Learning, which commissioned the study. “Now more than ever, digital skill sets are necessary. To enhance retention and produce productivity, it’s employers’ responsibilities to offer digital training – specifically automation training – as part of career development initiatives.”