If you have already made the switch from paper documents to digital ones, then you are already benefiting from the modern tech boom. However, in order to take full advantage of modern technology, you must automate your workflows. Let's take a look at why:
There will be fewer holes in your workflow processes
A hole in a workflow process usually goes unnoticed until it causes a problem. For example, if someone needs a supervisor's override to do something, but the supervisor is unavailable, then that employee is unable to act until the supervisor returns. Even if the workflow process includes a designated surrogate for the supervisor, there is no guarantee that the employee will know this.
With an automated workflow, the request would automatically be forwarded to the supervisor's surrogate. This way, there are no holdups in your workflow processes if someone is missing.
You can get daily processes done faster
Automated workflows can also improve manual workflows that don't have any holes in them. For example, in the same example discussed above, an employee would probably have to type a lengthy email explaining their authorization request. This takes time. An automated workflow, on the other hand, could push the request directly to the supervisor.
Hiring new employees will be less of a headache
When hiring a new employee, you need to have them fill out a pile of forms, while simultaneously pushing other documentation between HR, accounting and various supervisors. Once you have all of the completed forms from the new employee, you have to shuffle more paperwork around your organization (that is if there are no errors on any of the paperwork).
Workflows create a clearer direction for every step in the hiring process. People only see information about a new employee when they actually need to, and the new hire can fill out everything via eForms.
There will be more uniformity at your company
Even if everyone at your company follows the same workflow process, they can do so in their own ways. This creates confusion, to say the least. Since automated workflows take much of the work out of your team's hands, while forcing them to approach workflows in very specific ways, they increase uniformity and reduce confusion.
Enhances worker mobility
If a member of your team has to constantly stop and send or respond to an email, or prepare a set of documents, then their mobility is significantly reduced. If, on the other hand, that same team member only has to click a few buttons in response to a workflow alert, then they can stay on the go without pause.
You can easily analyze your company's efficiency
Just how efficient is your company? This can be a difficult thing to assess, especially if your company has a lot of workflows. Automated workflows, on the other hand, collect and compile all of your workflow data for you, so that you can get a more accurate picture of your overall efficiency.
You will save money
Even if you have, as we discussed at the beginning of the article, gotten rid of your paper documentation, you are still losing money without automated workflows. This is because you are wasting the only business asset that you can never get back: time. Wasted time means reduced productivity; reduced productivity means a loss of money.
You simply cannot ignore the benefits of automated workflows
Infusing automation into your workflow process will upgrade your company's ability to do business. To learn more about the benefits of workflows and how to integrate them, join our webinar on January 22.
