With cost optimization a top-most business priority for enterprise execs in the coming year, 2024 will be the year of doing more with less.
Research indicates that a priority for CIOs in 2024 is tasking IT to do more with less, as budgets remain tight. Some are even championing this ‘do-more-with-less’ approach, making efficiency and productivity their goal. Rob Waddell, EVP and CIO of Eliassen Group says, “[in] 2024 we’re focused on delivering ROIs around efficiency — working more productively, with more user satisfaction, to have better profitability.”
But how can we keep productivity levels high in the face of cutbacks and fewer IT resources? The answer lies in focusing on automating IT processes, which will—by extension—improve wider organizational productivity too. After all, removing digital friction and providing great digital employee experience (DEX) will enable your people to do their best work and remain productive.
2024: the year of automation
We’ve previously discussed how IT automation can help drive business value, highlighting that 85% of I&O leaders plan to scale up automation efforts in the next three years. So why is now the right time to focus on this area of technology?
According to Hrishi Raj Agarwalla, VP at Everest Group, “Enterprise spending in 2024 will be directed toward modernizing technology, data analytics, and process optimization.” With process optimization and operational efficiency top of mind, now is the perfect time to transform IT workflows with automation.
How IT automation works
Automation helps you to reduce tedious and repetitive work, helping you save money on operating costs. When you automate those routine but necessary tasks, you can increase workflow efficiency and free up your team for more engaging, higher-value work. It’s a win-win, cutting costs and boosting your bottom line.
“Automation and AI can streamline repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on more creative and strategic aspects of their work. This boost in productivity can improve efficiency as well as employee job satisfaction.”
Let’s consider some use cases for IT automation in the context of 1E and how it enables your workers to do more, even with fewer resources:
- Automated self service for ServiceNow: With 1E, it’s easy to equip your IT team with advanced automation capabilities that extend your Service Catalog and Virtual agent. This means the IT org can fulfill requests at a higher volume and speed, without making end users wait to get back to work. Learn more about what automated self service to improve productivity looks like with 1E.
- Endpoint automation: Automated workflows can help IT manage configuration compliance efficiently at a scale that would otherwise be incredibly time-consuming. Keep your entire organization compliant, your IT team productive, and benefit from real time visibility by using automation. Get more endpoint automation inspiration with 1E.
- Service desk automation: Service desks are tasked with meeting the needs of an increasingly hybrid workforce. By automating fixes directly on user devices—or applying fixes before that first ticket is even submitted with automated self-service and self-healing—you can benefit from lower costs, improved MTTR, and happier users. Find out how 1E for Service Desk Automation can help to improve productivity.
Benefits of IT automation
Embracing automation to improve IT productivity yields numerous benefits for your organization. Some of these include:
Reduced costs: One of the most significant benefits we see relates to cost savings associated with automation. In a world where IT leaders are acutely aware of economic pressures, the ability to do more with less, and do it well, is a huge benefit.
Through the reduction of labor costs and improved resource allocation, automation proves to be a significant driver of cost savings. Businesses can enhance productivity with the same or fewer resources by automating tasks. Furthermore, automation mitigates expenses associated with error correction by minimizing errors and the need for rework. Software automation presents a practical solution for increasing production and efficiency at a reasonable cost.
Improved employee experience and efficiency: Embracing automation in IT goes a long way in improving employee experiences. Research finds that 89% feel more satisfied with their job and 84% more satisfied with their company due to using automation in the workplace. The appetite for automation from employees is clear. 90% express they feel burdened with repetitive and boring tasks that could be easily automated and 81% are poised to reach a breaking point if automation isn’t employed to handle volumes of work.
51% of automation initiatives in 2023 were taken to boost employee efficiency. When employees are relieved of mundane, repetitive tasks, they can engage in more meaningful work. This not only boosts morale and improves the employee experience, but also–by extension–attracts and retains top talent.
Consistency, accuracy, security: Automation reduces the risk of human error, creating consistency and accuracy in various tasks. Automated processes are executed consistently and without errors. This consistency ensures that tasks are performed the same way every time, reducing the likelihood of mistakes that can occur with manual interventions. Improved accuracy leads to higher-quality outcomes and fewer troubleshooting issues.
Automation helps enforce security policies and compliance standards consistently across the organization. Automated security measures can quickly respond to and mitigate security threats, reducing the risk of breaches, and providing regulatory compliance.
In a world where leaders are under immense pressure to deliver results, automation is a way to improve efficiency and productivity in IT, but also across every department. 90% of workers say automation solutions helped increase productivity, and a further 85% say these tools boosted team collaboration.
According to Juan Perez, EVP and CIO of Salesforce, “those that invest in automation are poised to reap significant cost savings and productivity benefits, while also increasing job satisfaction, work-life balance, and employee retention.”
