Email Is Antiquated All Aboard the Automation Train

Email Is Antiquated All Aboard the Automation Train In the 1980s, everybody thought that by 2016 wed be driving flying cars, riding around on hover boards, and making conference calls on video screens. Weve accomplished two of those so far and even though our cars dont fly yet, they arelearningto drive themselves but whyhave we been so slow toadopt similarly advanced technologies in the realm of business processes? There has to be a better way to conduct internal operations, right?HR departments especially could benefit from a more streamlined approach. Much of what HR does involves employee paperwork. Typically speaking, that paperwork is either distributed via email,dropped off at employees desks, or housed in some central location where employees can go to find the forms they need. The dicke bretter bohren mssen with this arrangement, of course, is that there are plenty of opportunities for critical paperwork to get lost along the way. And, if emp loyees feel like the whole thing is a hassle, theyre more likely to skip the paperwork altogether, no matter how important it is.How can tech make internal operations easier and more efficient for everyone? Cloud-based IT service management solutions provider Samanage has an idea streamlined internal service delivery via automation.With Samanages help, U.K.-based water supply and treatment company Yorkshire Water has built a system of more than 100 automated self-service requests designed to improve and track internal processes within almost every department of the organization. Yorkshire Water employs more than 2,500 people, which means the implementation of this system welches a major project but it was well worth it, according to Tom Reid, one of Yorkshire Waters software integration analysts.One of the main reasons we implemented automation was because of the continued increase in HR and IT task loads, Reid says. Other than email, we didnt really have a way to track all the ser vice requests coming in.Its easy to lose track of or ignore an email. Weve all been there before. Now, imagine you have a company of 2,500 and only a handful people available to handle HR and IT tasks for all the people in your organization.Things are going to get lost in transit.According to Reid, the automated self-service system has made it much easier for HR and IT departments to track and respond to requests An individual can use the main service center to request flights and travel, a new ID card, business process managementthe simple, straightforward requests.Not everything is automated, however Reid says that knowing which tasks are appropriate for self-service and which require HRs direct involvement is key.More complex matters like change of salary and occupational health remain HRs responsibility, Reid says.But allowing employees to make their own direct service requests in many areas eliminates the hoop-jumping often bogs down HR and overall business production. Addition ally, moving with the satz of technology, employees in the field without direct office access can make or check on requests directly from their smartphones or tablets.These service options have opened up a path towardmore precision in the workplace and less hassle for those fulfilling requests definitely something wed all love to have.For Reid and Yorkshire Water, one thing is certain Transitioning to automation has allowed themto come out of the dark ages, so to say.Welcome to the light, fellas.