{"id":87813,"date":"2016-11-16T09:36:54","date_gmt":"2016-11-16T14:36:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=87813"},"modified":"2017-04-07T19:10:22","modified_gmt":"2017-04-08T00:10:22","slug":"software-robots-humans-obsolete-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2016\/11\/software-robots-humans-obsolete-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Will software robots make humans obsolete in the workplace?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Organisations worldwide are excited about software robots, but for the ordinary Joe, there are already concerns that these robots will replace us in the workplace. We discuss the issue, and highlight an implication that should be of concern in the Caribbean.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n


\nAt the inaugural student conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados, Minister of Labour, Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo, warned attendees about imminent changes in the workplace. Specifically, she spoke about the fact that globally, computers and technology are replacing people in workplace, resulting in the loss of tens of millions of jobs, and Barbados needed to be ready for that eventuality: <\/span><\/p>\n

The minister said it was difficult to predict how soon some jobs would disappear. However, she said international research has suggested that up to 30 per cent of the work done by people could soon be automated, with workers such as office clerks, truck drivers, factory workers and accountants likely to be among the first to be affected.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

(Source: <\/span>Barbados Today<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Although some of the data that the Minister cited in her speech might be startling \u2013 that up to 50% of jobs in manufacturing, 73% in food service and accommodation, 53% in retailing could be automated soon, and around 66% of jobs] in finance and insurance could be affected \u2013 it must be emphasised that the threat of automation taking over tasks (and jobs) currently \u00a0done by humans is not new. Throughout human history, and especially starting with the first printing press around 1440, innovation has been, and continues to transform how we work, and more importantly, the skills we need to remain relevant in the workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n

Software robots and robotic process automation<\/span><\/h3>\n

Whilst most of us are familiar with automation \u2013 robotics being used for physical labour, most notably in the manufacturing industry \u2013 robotic process automation (RPA) is a new and emerging area that increasingly will have an impact in the workplace. In a nutshell, RPA is software that focuses on automating clerical processes. The result is software robots that can, among other things, capture and interpret existing applications for processing a transaction, manipulated data, trigger responses and communicate with other digital systems (Source: \u00a0<\/span>Institute For Robotic Process Automation<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, whilst it might appear that RPA can perform all tasks in the workplace, emphatically, that is not the case. RPA is especially useful for repetitive, rules-based and highly transactional tasks. Cognitive and customer-centric activities, are a few of the areas that continue to remain the domain of us humans. <\/span><\/p>\n

RPA and IT-enabled services<\/span><\/h3>\n

Nevertheless, RPA has been gaining popularity in the IT-enabled outsourcing space, especially in contact centres and business process outsourcing space, where cost containment, process efficiency and client management are crucial.<\/span><\/p>\n

Any company that uses labor on a large scale for general knowledge process work, where people are performing high-volume, highly transactional process functions, will boost their capabilities and save money and time with robotic process automation software.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

(Source: \u00a0<\/span>Institute For Robotic Process Automation<\/span><\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Without a doubt, RPA will affect the corporate workplace in the Caribbean. Consequently, there is a need to ensure that our citizens are prepared for that eventuality. However, cognisant of the resources that will be needed to successfully implement RPA, it might still be several years before it becomes the norm among Caribbean businesses and organisations. <\/span><\/p>\n

However RPA implementation may happen considerably sooner (e.g. within the next two to three years) in the region\u2019s offshore outsourcing space. Currently, many Caribbean governments are excited about that industry\u2019s ability to absorb labour, and help those countries tackle their high unemployment rates, especially among the 18–25 age group and among high school graduates. However, generally, individuals with those qualifications are the ones who end up performing repetitive and clerical tasks, which unfortunately, can be more efficiently performed using RPA.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having said this, RPA is just one of many systems that will change how we live and work. Caribbean governments must thus be vigilant and proactive in positioning their countries, and their citizens, for the continuing changes in labour and skills demand that is happening globally, and will eventually affect us in the region.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Image credit: \u00a0anna_t<\/a>\u00a0(flickr)<\/em><\/p>\n

___________<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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