The IT Nerd

By Tim Flower, VP of DEX Strategy, Nexthink

What Is workflow automation?

Workflow automation takes manual or scripted tasks and processes performed by employees and groups them in a logical order, initiated by automated or manual triggers. These workflows include decision points, branches, tasks, and calls to other systems or humans for additional insights, delivering fast, consistent, repeatable, and scalable outcomes with minimal or no human intervention. 

But modern workflow automation goes beyond simple task execution by leveraging low-code/no-code platforms to lower the skills entry point, and to deliver more complex AI-driven decision-making processes that continually optimize themselves. In fact, many systems can now “automate the automation,” further reducing errors, speeding time-to-market, ensuring compliance, and eliminating bottlenecks. 

How does it work? 

Originally, workflow automation consisted of repeatable tasks scripted for automated execution, bringing efficiency to humans by handling defined, repetitive processes. Over time, it evolved into more robust AI-powered decision-making, enabling automation of complex and variable workflows.

Today, workflow automation can:

• Optimize itself using machine learning, analyzing historical data to improve workflows over time.
• Leverage event-driven automation, where real-time business triggers (e.g., exceeding a technical threshold or dropping below an inventory level) automatically initiates a process workflow.
• Integrate with AI-powered digital employee experience (DEX) tools, which can analyze human behavior and operations, and suggest new automation opportunities based on a broad enterprise view.

As AI continues to evolve, workflows will become more self-improving, reducing the need for human intervention even in process design.

Why should businesses use workflow automation? 

Businesses that do not embrace workflow automation risk falling behind their competition. The benefits include:

• Faster, more efficient operations – Automating processes reduces execution time, leading to significant reductions in processing times in key IT and business functions.
• Lower operational costs – Companies using automation report 30% or more cost savings by reducing manual effort, according to LatentBridge.*
• Improved employee productivity – Employees are freed from repetitive, low-value tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic work.
• Better customer experiences – Faster service delivery and error reduction lead to higher customer satisfaction and retention rates.
• Scalability – Companies can handle more work without proportionally increasing costs or headcount.

How best to deploy workflow automation?

To implement modern workflow automation effectively, businesses need three key components:

1. Broad, multi-source data – Automation opportunities should be identified using real-time data from multiple systems. Process mining tools can analyze inefficiencies and suggest improvements.
2. AI-driven automation creation – The skill barrier to automation should be lowered using AI and low-code/no-code solutions, enabling business users to build automations without heavy IT involvement.
3. A unified automation platform – A solution that combines workflow automation with real-time experience monitoring, sentiment analysis, and measurement of business outcomes is crucial to track effectiveness and continuously improve processes.

Additionally, proper change management, security, and governance must be considered to ensure successful adoption and compliance.

Common implementation mistakes

Businesses often face these pitfalls when implementing workflow automation:

• Not identifying the right problems to solve – Automating low value processes while missing what really matters can result in lower returns. 
• Failing to optimize first – Automating inefficient processes without first optimizing them can lead to wasted efforts.
• Using a fragmented approach – Selecting tools that don’t integrate across all enterprise systems results in automation silos.
• Not tracking value – Without clear success metrics, businesses may struggle to measure ROI and justify further investment.
• Trying to automate too much at once – Overloading teams with too many changes can cause adoption failures. A phased approach is more effective.
• Not monitoring for unintended consequences – Poorly designed workflows can introduce new problems or outcomes that weren’t present before.

Emerging workflow automation trends

Businesses embracing workflow automation with AI and DEX capabilities will outpace the competition. Those who delay adoption will find themselves increasingly behind as automation plays a bigger role across enterprises. There are several trends happening that should demand some attention:

• Hyper-automation – AI, machine learning, and robotic process automation (RPA) will increasingly work together to automate as much as possible.
• Conversational automation – AI-powered intelligent chatbots and voice assistants will play a larger role in initiating and executing workflows.
• Process mining and AI-driven optimization – AI will proactively analyze and recommend new automation opportunities.
• End-to-end digital experiences – Automation will integrate deeply into Digital Employee Experience (DEX) strategies, ensuring seamless workflows across systems to improve the overall employee experience at work.

Tim Flower, VP, DEX Strategy for Nexthink, has worked in enterprise IT for over 30 years, and since joining Nexthink in 2015, he has helped businesses large and small around the world to understand the power of information when viewed through the end-user.