Of course, automation aids a lot in business processes. However, there are also risks of automation. Knowing these beforehand can help mitigate the risks.
Risks of Automation
1. Job Losses
Automation leads to job losses. Automation has replaced many jobs that were done by humans. People who are replaced by automation are usually forced to find other jobs that are not replaced by automation.
2. Less Productivity
Automation may lead to less productivity. People who are replaced by automation may lose their motivation to work, resulting in lower productivity. Employees may also feel demotivated when they see their colleagues being replaced by automation.
3. Costs of Automation
It is not cheap to implement automation systems, especially when it comes to technology upgrades and increased maintenance costs. Moreover, the cost of getting expert knowledge for maintaining the system is also a huge cost factor.
4. System Breakdown
Automation systems break down. This is because automation systems are complex. Even if the automation system is maintained well, there is still a chance that it will break down. The cost of repairing or replacing the automation system is also very high.
5. Low Quality of Products
Automation systems are prone to errors. These errors may not be detected in the early stages when automation systems are mostly used to do simple jobs. As the complexity of the job increases, so does the chance for error detection, which may lead to low-quality products, or worse, bad products that can cause harm to people or property.
6. Displacement of Skill Sets
Automation displaces skill sets. If an employee is replaced by automation, he/she will lose his/her job and this may lead to unemployment and loss of income for that person. However, this person can be retrained and employed in other jobs that are not automated. This makes automation a good option for enhancing productivity in an organization by replacing less efficient employees with more efficient automated equipment without causing the displacement of skill sets.
Conclusion
Automation is good if it is done correctly. The risks of automation are only present if it is not implemented correctly. If an organization wants to automate, it should do it thoroughly. They should also consider the employees’ welfare before implementing the automation system. If handled correctly, automation will lead to more efficiency in the organization and increase the company’s productivity without causing job losses for employees.
As technology continues to advance, businesses are racing to keep up with the times with technological advancements that will help them be more efficient and productive. With this comes concerns about how all of these new technologies will affect jobs currently being performed by humans. There are several ways technology can replace human labor, but there are also ways that technology can improve current jobs and make them more enjoyable for humans instead of completely replacing them with machines.
Jobs can be replaced by machines, like assembly lines where machines produce products faster than humans can. Machines may also be used to fill out paperwork or perform computations that would normally be done by a person; however, this doesn’t mean that the job has been eliminated. A machine can produce high-quality products or perform complex calculations much faster than a person, but there are typically still people working in the background to keep the machines running efficiently and effectively.
