Abolishing admin: Businesses and employees alike are eager to automate mundane processes but reluctance to disturb mission critical systems hampers change

• Business decision makers recognise their slow adoption of process automation solutions, citing it as employees’ joint top tech frustration 
• Almost a third of employees (32%) do not currently have access to process automation technologies, despite wanting them 
• A quarter of employees say their fulfilment at work would be improved if they had the right tech to free up their time for more rewarding work

New research from Ricoh Europe reveals that both decision makers and employees are keen to automate workflows to improve productivity and job fulfilment, but the implementation of these systems is being hampered by concerns about disrupting mission critical operations mid-flight. 

The research was conducted by Opinion Matters on behalf of Ricoh Europe, polling 7,000 workers and 1,800 decision makers across Europe*. It finds significant employee appetite for process automation in the workplace, with almost a third of employees (32%) reporting they do not currently have access to process automation technologies, despite wanting them. Business leaders echo and acknowledge their employees’ enthusiasm for this automation, citing the slow adoption of process automation solutions as their employees’ joint top technical frustration. 

However, the research highlights that apprehension among business leaders may be hindering the implementation of process automation technologies. Concerns around business continuity are top of mind for leaders, with 30% saying they need guidance to better understand which systems can be integrated and extracted into workflows without disruption. This caution is understandable, considering the potentially catastrophic consequences on the bottom line if implementation goes wrong. 

At the same time, over half of business leaders (55%) agree that IT investments are often made in isolation, without full consideration of their impact. This leads to C-suite unease about the prospect of implementing automation technologies and their potential impact on other essential processes. Banishing tedious tasks is not just about boosting employee productivity, it’s also a key factor in nurturing employee fulfilment and job satisfaction. When asked what factors would improve their fulfilment at work, a quarter of employees cited having the right tech to free up their time for more rewarding work. A further 21% of employees also said having better software technology, including automation solutions, would make them less likely to consider leaving their current role in the next 12 months , showing the real impact the technology could have for talent retention. 

Nicola Downing, CEO of Ricoh Europe, said: “In an era of increasing employee apathy, process automation technologies can play a key role in helping employees feel fulfilled, by reducing the time spent on tedious tasks and enabling them to focus on more rewarding and creative work. However, I know first-hand that the C-suite is justified in being cautious to disrupt mission critical systems, considering the ramifications if things go wrong. By partnering with a reliable digital expert who offers proven technical expertise and the right teams, businesses can confidently embrace automation and enjoy its benefits with minimal disruption.” 

Employee research methodology:

The research was conducted by Opinion Matters, among a sample of 7,000 respondents who are office workers within companies employing 1-1000+ people across France, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and Italy. 

The data was collected between 09.02.2024 and 21.02.2024. Opinion Matters abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Opinion Matters is also a member of the British Polling Council. 

Decision makers research methodology:

The research was conducted by Opinion Matters, among a sample of 1,800 respondents who are senior management or higher and are purchasing decision makers for IT, facilities management, HR & finance, within companies who employ 1-1000+ employees excl. sole traders (aged 18+) across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain and Italy. 

The data was collected between 09.02.2024 and 23.02.2024. Opinion Matters abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Opinion Matters is also a member of the British Polling Council.