Over the years, most office job descriptions have included this line: “Strong knowledge of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.” (Remember when making pivot tables in Excel was all the rage?) Times have changed, entering Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

What is RPA?

RPA is ground zero of Artificial Intelligence and is the next evolution in automation, streamlining repetitive tasks and transforming the way we work.

Assume you find your email inbox overflowing with invoices from various suppliers, forcing you to spend hours extracting attachments, organizing them into folders and manually entering this data into your ERP system.

RPA software enables any user, without the need for programming knowledge, to set up a workflow that automatically collects invoices from your email, extracts any attachments and stores them neatly into designated folders. Furthermore, intelligent automation captures information from each invoice before automatically entering it into your ERP system.

Et voila! You have saved both time and eliminated the monotony of data entry manually.

The main players are BluePrism, UiPath, Automation Anywhere and of course Microsoft Power Automate, available natively in Microsoft E3 and E5 subscriptions (aka almost every large organization in the world).

And there’s more.

With Microsoft AI Builder, leveraging AI-as-a-service becomes simple. Any user can play around with AI and customize Machine Learning models to teach software how to recognize patterns in documents, images, or texts.

With the rise of generative AI, the game has changed. Microsoft Copilot should become an essential feature, allowing end users to simply describe a flow they want automated while the software creates their bot for them – no technical skills necessary, just imagination!

Are we there yet? 

Imagine a world where every employee can identify room for improvement and automate their tasks. A world where curiosity and automation go hand in hand to elevate creativity. It’s not just a dream; it’s a future we can create together.

So, does having basic knowledge and curiosity in RPA make you more desirable as an employee? Should every individual embrace the curiosity to explore and improve their tasks?

Should we go there? Is it a desirable future?

Some might argue that while RPA offers immense benefits, it could also add pressure on employees to constantly deliver. Furthermore, this technology raises issues about personal responsibility, data privacy, and ethical use of automation technologies.

Imagine a company incorporating RPA modules into their onboarding training sessions; newcomers would gain knowledge about automation tools and their possibilities from day one – raising creativity while encouraging a culture of continuous improvement and upskilling.

In the past, companies expected employees to be proficient in Excel and PowerPoint. Today, as RPA becomes increasingly prevalent, could we also expect it to become a mandatory skill for any job? Should employees be encouraged to identify opportunities for automation in their daily tasks, making their work more efficient and leaving room for creative problem-solving?

Embracing automation DOES NOT mean replacing humans; rather, it frees workers from repetitive tasks while offering opportunities for upskilling and personal growth. HR transformation and enablement teams are here to facilitate change management processes.

The journey towards a more automated future is a complex one. Embracing RPA and encouraging curiosity and exploration might just be the key to unleashing human potential, freeing us from repetitive, brainless tasks, and empowering us to thrive in a world where automation and creativity go hand in hand.

So, let’s ponder the possibilities: should RPA be a must-have skill in today’s job market? The answer lies in our collective pursuit of progress, curiosity, and empowerment. As we ride the wave of automation, let’s steer towards a brighter and more fulfilled future for all. The choice is ours to make—let’s elevate our workforce, one bot at a time.