Despite growing concern that workplace automation will not serve the actual employee, New Zealand’s finance leaders forecast automation will, in fact, bring about positive change both for the employer and the employee, new independent research has revealed.
The study, commissioned by specialised recruiter Robert Half, shows new workplace technologies will lead to better decisions, higher productivity and a workforce with a richer skillset for those willing to adapt to change.
The top three business advantages, as identified by New Zealand chief financial officers, are better decision-making capabilities (62%), more efficiencies and productivity (59%), and employees taking on more value-added work (48%) that in turn will lead to better business results.
Moreover, the positive impacts of automation for finance employees include increased output (68%), more focus on the execution of tasks and less on the inputting of data (58%) and being able to quickly learn new capabilities (46%).
“With digitisation and automation helping the workplace transition towards new and previously untapped potential, positive change is on the horizon for companies who quickly adapt to change,” Robert Half New Zealand general manager Megan Alexander said.
“Embracing and implementing new technologies, while refocusing the workforce so finance teams develop additional skills as they adapt to change, will lead to better business outcomes for New Zealand organisations. It’s about creating an equal balance between technology and people.”
While companies will be looking to sharpen their competitive edge with automation, the pressure will fall on a savvy workforce to make things happen, Alexander added.
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