UiPath-commissioned survey evaluates the influence of COVID-19 on automation adoption and the future of work

The leading Robotic Process Automation (RPA) company, UiPath, today unveiled the results of a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of UiPath: The Future of Work: A Pandemic Spotlight. The study revealed that companies are increasingly using RPA and other intelligent automation technologies to address new business and market pressures stemming from the pandemic, but still believe a people-centric approach is critical to success in the future of work.

Throughout May 2020 (at the height of the crisis), Forrester conducted an online survey of 160 process automation decision-makers from operations groups, shared services, finance, and other lines of business in organizations spanning France, Germany, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. The results of the survey showed that the pandemic has:

  • Expedited digital transformations and created a surge in automation investment. The world has seen more digital transformation in the past few months than in the preceding five years. Intelligent automation technologies, including RPA, are supporting and accelerating this surge.

With 48% of survey respondents planning to increase RPA spend over the next year, companies are using RPA to:

  • Increase agility, diversity, and resilience in their supply chain operations (83%)
  • Address extraordinary cost pressures by automating back-office and operational tasks (80%)
  • Support remote workforces (75%)
  • Elevated the need for a people-centric workforce. Automation is required to tackle post-pandemic economic challenges but requires an employee-sensitive approach. Fifty-seven percent of respondents say their employees are moderately or very anxious regarding their ability to succeed in their jobs due to automation and pandemic-related stress.

As a result, it is crucial for businesses to provide automation reskilling and upskilling opportunities so employees have the skills needed to thrive in the future of work and maximize the potential of automation investments. Sixty percent of decision makers agreed that providing workplace certifications for transferable digital and machine skills helps their employees cope with the potential effects of automation and prepares them for the future of work. Organizations must develop a post-pandemic employee experience by offering education opportunities and monitoring employee health.

“The pandemic has turned the world upside down, and the shock has greatly accelerated businesses’ march toward the future of work. Automation has emerged as an invaluable asset for organizations to embrace this changing way of work. The time to automate is now,” said Tom Clancy, SVP UiPath Learning. “Now more than ever, digital skillsets are necessary. To enhance retention and produce productivity, it’s employers’ responsibilities to offer digital training –specifically automation training – as part of career development initiatives.”

For more information, download the study here.

About UiPath

UiPath has a vision to deliver A Robot for Every Person, one where companies enable every employee to use, create, and benefit from the transformative power of automation to liberate the boundless potential of people. Only UiPath offers an end-to-end platform for hyperautomation, combining the leading Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solution with a full suite of capabilities that enable every organization to scale digital business operations at unprecedented speed. The company has already automated millions of repetitive tasks for over 65% of the Fortune 500 and 8 of the Fortune 10.

Named a 2020 CNBC Disruptor 50 company, UiPath was recognized as the fastest growing technology company in the Americas according to FT Americas’ Fastest Growing Companies 2020 and named the top company on Deloitte’s 2019 Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the fastest public and private technology companies in North America.