Companies implementing process automation generally have been careful to position the technology internally as one that is not threatening to headcount. But the potential to replace human workers with automation technology that is cheaper certainly exists, so managing those fears will become increasingly essential in organizations. A new report from Forrester presents stark evidence that AI, RPA and other automation technology could significantly impact the job market—at least in Australia.
Future Jobs: Australia’s Automation Dividends And Deficits, 2020 To 2030 ($) predicts Australia will lose 11 percent of its jobs—1.5 million positions—by 2030 as a result of automation software. Employees in finance, accounting, and procurement who perform highly structured administrative tasks are most at risk, the report said.
“Some of the biggest challenges that firms face in embracing automation technologies relate to culture and change management,” said Sam Higgins, principal analyst at Forrester. “It’s critical that policymakers and employers learn how to minimize the number of digital outcasts by measuring the ability of individuals and organizations to adapt to, collaborate with, trust, and generate business results from automation, or else over a million Australian workers may be left stranded beyond the next digital divide.”