View original at chiefexecutive.net

The mass commercialization of self-driving cars and virtual offices may still seem like futuristic concepts to many business leaders. But automation technology is advancing fast, offering CEOs across various industries scope to enjoy sizable near-term boosts in productivity, according to a new survey. Consultancy group Future Workplace found that 42% of the 619 American-based human resources professionals it approached expect automation to generate a more than 10% increase in productivity for their companies over the next three years. The gains are based, in part, on letting machines take care of repetitive tasks, according to partner and research director Dan Schawbel. “While some employees will lose their jobs because of these technology advancements, we predict new roles will be created to operate them,” he told Chief Executive. Technologies cited by Schawbel include visitor management systems, which identify and track everyone who enters an office, and the Internet of Things, which allows workers to collect data from workplace devices to automate manufacturing processes and streamline operations. Conference booking systems, meanwhile, can help employees easily find a meeting room without requiring an administrator. “While some employees will lose their jobs because of these technology advancements, we predict new roles will be created to operate them.” Then there’s robotic video conferencing, which allows an element of immersion by perching a video screen atop a movable device similar to a Segway. (If you’re finding that hard to picture, an example of this technology can be seen here ). Embracing remote work is key Advances in conferencing capabilities, alongside the delivery of faster broadband services, will make it easier for people to work from home—something survey participants suggested could be a key driver of productivity gains. The survey, commissioned by Konica Minolta Business Solutions, found 76% of participants believed the value of work is less […]