New research from Tradeshift shows that workplace automation contributes to happier employees.
The ‘Are Friends Electric?’ report received responses from 500 financial and accounting professionals — two positions that have often been threatened by the adoption of automation.
However, 71% of respondents said that automation would positively impact their job satisfaction, while 63% stated that their roles will always require a human touch.
The majority of respondents believe that automation would allow them to cut down on repetitive work, which is a large contributor of job dissatisfaction. In fact, 6 in 10 respondents said offloading menial tasks to automation allowed them to participate in more thought-provoking work.
Across regions who have implemented workplace automation, the US saw a 72% adoption rate, followed by 50% in the UK, 37% in Germany, and 21% in France. Simultaneously, areas leading in the automation adoption rate reported higher levels of employee happiness.
Even more, 62% of respondents claimed they are more likely to apply for a job that has invested into automation, a tool that could help address companies suffering from the Great Resignation.
“If you believe the doom-mongers, you’d think today’s workers are terrified that automation will steal their jobs, but our research shows the reality is very different,” said Mikkel Hippe Brun, cofounder and General Manager of Payment Automation at Tradeshift.
“Employees who have embraced automation in their day-to-day work have found that any residual fears around robots stealing their jobs quickly fade away. Not only are they more productive, but they’re also happier, less stressed and more optimistic about future career progression.”
