Process Automation and Productivity – Opinion

Today, companies are looking for ways to increase the productivity of their operations and employees, especially in Brazil, where the rate is very low. According to a study by The Conference Board, released in 2020 by an international consulting firm, it takes Brazilians, on average, an hour to produce something an American can do in 15 minutes, and it takes a Korean 20 minutes. Among the many factors influencing this data, there is a difference in intellectual capital between countries, as a result of time and quality of education, but there is also an element of the day-to-day for businesses related to automating processes through technologies. In this way, our effort is greater while our results are lower.

It is still in this scenario, according to the data of the World Economic Forum (WEC – World Economic Forum), which in 2019 prepared a global competitive ranking, in which the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity of 141 countries was determined. Analyzed, Brazil’s performance was at 71st. At the time, Singapore was the best-placed country in the rankings, surpassing the United States, which ranked second. The top ten also includes Hong Kong in third place, followed by the Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The impact of these data is very large, because the only way to achieve a sustainable increase in the average income of the country is possible through productivity. Brazil has a very large informal economy, with many inefficient processes that take up unnecessary time. There is enormous scope for us to take a few steps towards greater productivity in day to day operations.

Process automation is a solution that comes to mind when we think of it this way. Suppose companies suddenly manage to change their processes from manual to automated. Without a doubt, we will have an overall positive impact on the economy, being able to achieve more results with less effort. In this way, saving resources can accelerate growth on other fronts.

Although it is an outdated concept, many still believe that technologies will replace people’s work; However, we can use the field of medicine as an example to break this myth. After all, many surgeries rely on the help of technology, not as an operator, but as a tool that helps the doctor. Technology, when well adopted, breaks down barriers.

In this sense, an investment in automation focused on small and micro enterprises, including informal ones, will have a positive impact on the productivity of the Brazilian economy. It should be noted the importance of manpower qualification, a movement that has been growing in the private sector, especially for companies seeking to train their employee base.