How Automation Can Empower Human Achievement and Make Work More Meaningful

Few business trends have been analyzed more in recent years than the tight talent market and employers’ difficulty recruiting qualified workers. At 3.6%, as of March, the unemployment rate continues to hover near historic lows not seen since 1969. However, it is worth noting that there are about three million fewer Americans employed today than three years ago. As a result, there are more than 10 million job openings compared to 5.7 million unemployed workers.  

Businesses across the country are confronting this challenge, as nearly every state has more job openings today than in February 2020. With higher demand in most sectors, employees see some advantage in a labor market that increases their pay and puts them in a strong position to bargain. Of course, there are corresponding challenges for employers, particularly those without the resources or the flexibility to adapt. 

Understaffed and overworked 

As anyone who has experienced staffing shortages knows, the work still needs to get done. Staying on top of essential tasks often comes at the expense of more fulfilling work that makes full use of employees’ talents while building their careers.  

Being understaffed for long periods makes it hard to retain – let alone inspire – employees. New Kelly research, to be released next month, reveals that almost one third of workers say they are “very likely” to leave their employer in the next 12 months. Employees cite poor work-life balance and lack of development opportunities as the top reasons. More than half of them say they have unmanageable workloads and almost half say they are refusing to do more than their role contractually requires. 

Fusing digital and human talent 

So, how can we solve for labor shortages while ensuring that employees enjoy and find meaning in their work? At Kelly we believe that the fusion of digital and human talent can address these challenges.  

We just announced the launch of the first product in our new suite of automated work solutions that we call Kelly Fusion. That product is a Digital Worker that reduces time spent on mundane, labor-intensive tasks, freeing up human talent to focus on more fulfilling work and career-building activities.  

Kelly Fusion Digital Workers carry out a huge range of repetitive tasks. They can reliably manage data entry and new-hire processes such as background screenings and onboarding procedures, for example. They ensure work is completed efficiently, reduce risk, save money, and improve the overall employee experience.  

Our in-house team, in partnership with leading enterprise automation software company UiPath, has been developing, testing, and honing these solutions for several years – solving internal challenges and monitoring their impact. The results have been impressive. We have implemented more than 160 automations across our global business, delivering significant cost and time savings. Rather than completing repetitive tasks, like filling forms or moving data, our employees are spending more time with strategic, creative, and client-facing work. 

A new labor channel  

After experiencing the transformative impact of automation in our business, we are now helping our clients identify the right blend of digital capabilities and human talent to enhance productivity and satisfaction across their organizations. 

As Kelly Vice President of Innovation and Product Development Ed Pederson says, with this product launch we have created a new labor channel for our customers. We have found that the best approach to making sure people remain at the center of any automated work strategy is to consult with clients on how their human talent will work alongside AI and automation tools so they can realize their limitless potential.  

Most data indicate that today’s labor shortage will persist. Businesses that are agile and deploy talent effectively will seize opportunities and thrive. As the world of work relies more and more on technology, solutions like Kelly Fusion will yield business gains regardless of the job market. The key to lasting success is enabling people to focus on tasks that bring meaning to work and value to organizations. When we do that, automation supports and empowers human achievement by making work more fulfilling, rewarding, and engaging.