Expleo’s survey looked into 143 IT decision-makers across Ireland, where 85pc of organisations are incorporating automation.
Digital transformation consultant Expleo today (9 December) announced results of its survey on automation in Irish workplaces.
Its findings show that one in five of the country’s businesses embracing automation have seen jobs growth, while more than half reported no effect on employee numbers.
TechPro carried out the research with Expleo, looking into 143 IT decision-makers across Ireland where 85pc of organisations are incorporating automation. Of those, almost two-thirds said that automated technologies are “enabling revenue growth” and almost half plan to increase their use of AI and machine learning over the next three years. In fact, 19pc of respondents are already seeing AI and machine learning as “fundamental to their business”.
The primary reasons for this, according to Expleo, were the belief that automation can “help employees to focus on business-critical tasks” and its capacity to speed up processes.
Barriers to automation
But barriers to fully implementing new technologies remain, according to Expleo. It found that such obstacles as a lack of in-house knowledge or skills, budget constraints, a lack of innovative thinking and not enough buy-in from senior executives and board members were the biggest hurdles to be overcome.
In an effort to navigate those, more than half of companies are reportedly outsourcing automation management and support to external service providers.
Phil Codd, managing director for Ireland at Expleo, said: “We are still in the dawn of the digital era, so there is a lot of trepidation around new technologies and the impact they will have on lives and workforces.
“However, our research shows that technologies such as automation are actually helping to boost job numbers as they require skilled people to run and manage them.
“It’s not about taking jobs away from people: it’s empowering people to make a greater impact in their roles by letting machines take on the more mundane – but necessary – tasks so humans can concentrate on adding more value to their organisation.”
Codd went on to note that embracing the latest technologies is “not a smooth road to success”.
He said: “Technology isn’t well represented on company boards and this is something that needs to change. If businesses are as serious about innovation as they say they are, it needs to be reflected on the board.”
