Quadient partnered with AIM Consulting to host a webinar: Does automation improve employee engagement? It is the second webinar in The Future of Mail and Communications series, and highlighted research from our partner, Dr. Robert Albright.
Guest speaker Dr. Robert Albright of AIM Consulting presented his findings from the study How Automation Impacts Document Workflow comparing the impact on productivity, employee engagement and morale when using different levels of automation. Each scenario represented typical document processing methods employed by small to medium sized business to prepare and send critical transactional documents.
The webinar covered key topics, including:
- Are manual processes standing in the way of employee productivity?
- How does employee engagement impact the customer experience?
- What is the optimal scenario that will deliver the least amount of errors with the lowest impact?
- How do you empower and retain a modern workforce?
Below is a compilation of the questions and responses from the webinar: Does automation improve employee engagement?
- Did you assess the impact on different age groups within the study? Or was it only younger individuals?
While we did not capture the specific age of each individual, it is clear we had representation from at least two generational classifications: Boomers (Born 1946 – 1964) and Millennials (Born 1981 – 1996).
- Where does Generation X fall in this data?
There were no participants from Generation X (currently 42 – 55 years old, about 10 years until retirement) in the pilot study we conducted. However, it is interesting to note, that a work desire of a Generation X person is “autonomy”, which was one of the five core job characteristic mentioned during the webinar as a necessity for designing an “enriched job”. The point we intended to make with the study was that Boomers are retiring out of the workforce and are increasingly being replaced with persons of Millennials and Generation Z (Born 1997 – 2013).
As we look towards the future, we need to consider the impact generational changes will have on administrative roles. For businesses to continue to thrive, it will become imperative that manual, administrative tasks become automated to engage younger generations, who are more comfortable with and accustomed to technology. The connection between employee engagement and business outcomes is a powerful perspective in today’s evolving business environment.
- What’s the best way to maximize the power, strength and durability of my folder inserter?
The study found that all errors came from the human aspect in the preparation stage of the workflow. The folder inserter was shown to provide significant efficiency gains during the processing stage.
A folder inserter enhanced with document automation software is ideal, and allows for optimal use in a fully automated scenario. The software enables you to automate business-critical outbound and inbound processes, enabling high-value employees to spend more time driving core business objectives and accelerating growth.
- We send out a massive amount of legal documents, which are required to be sent via Registered Mail®. After they go through the folding/inserting machine, the amount of time to put labels on envelopes and photocopy each one is very time consuming. Is there a mail scanner for large amounts or an easier Registered Mail system in the works?
First, we would want to confirm you are sending legal documents by Registered Mail and not Certified Mail®. Registered Mail is a service for high value, irreplaceable items. Typically, legal documents would not fall into this category, and should be sent via Certified Mail. If this is the scenario, then yes, Quadient offers a fully automated solution for Certified Mail. We handle all of the preparation and management of barcode tracking via a SaaS based application.
Document are inserted as normal via an intelligent Folding/Inserting systems into special Certified Mail envelopes. The entire process can be managed digitally, with full traceability of each mail piece.
Interested in learning more about the optimal scenario for document processing? Download our white paper: How Automation Impacts Document Workflow
