In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, automation has become a buzzword for organizations looking to streamline processes and boost productivity. In fact, automation has become virtually synonymous with efficiency and cost savings in many industries. While these more obvious benefits are well-documented, there’s an intriguing aspect that often goes unnoticed: the profound impact automation can have on the employee experience and the resulting benefits to the organization as whole.
In the digital advertising sales and operations industry, where competition is fierce and the demand for efficiency relentless, understanding the broader advantages of automation can give companies a significant edge.
This article delves into the hidden benefits of automation that go beyond mere process optimization to explore the ways in which automation can accelerate growth by transforming the human experience.
The Assumption Game
Before diving into the hidden benefits of automation, let’s briefly revisit the common assumptions that make it such an attractive proposition for businesses.
Our research on automation in ad sales and operations found that organizations believe that embracing automation can minimize costs, save money and build consistency. 87% of ad sales and operations professionals agree that automation had the capacity to make their organizations more profitable. In fact, the ad sales and operations professionals surveyed shared a variety of common pain points where automation was seen as a viable solution.
Automation as a Solution for Common Pain Points
• 72% of ad sales and operations professionals believe automation can reduce errors / makegoods.
• 83% feel automation would increase their team’s productivity.
• 78% believe automation can minimize organizational costs, save money and build consistency.
• While these assumptions are accurate, they only scratch the surface of what automation can truly achieve.
The Employee Experience Revamp
The significance of the employee experience and its’ connection to overall organizational profitability cannot be overstated. A Gallup poll found that companies delivering an exceptional employee experience ended up with higher employee engagement rates, which in turn resulted a 23% increase in profitability. Consider the ways in which automation can improve the employee experience:
• Reduced Workload, Enhanced Creativity
Automation takes care of the mundane, repetitive tasks that once consumed a significant portion of an employee’s day. This newfound freedom allows them to focus on more creative, strategic, and intellectually stimulating aspects of their work. In ad sales and operations, this can lead to more innovative ad campaigns and strategies. Not to mention, more time to build critical client relationships. Our research identified “spending more time with clients” as ad sales professionals’ number one priority, and 64% want to spend more time on strategic planning and platform / channel selection.
• Better Work-Life Balance
Better Work-Life Balance: By automating repetitive tasks, employees can better manage their workloads and achieve a healthier work-life balance. This leads to a more content and energized workforce, resulting in increased productivity.
• Better Work-Life Balance
Today’s ad sales and operations professionals find themselves without enough time to be proactive vs reactive in their day-to-day roles. The results are that errors and excessive makegoods are normalized as a fact of life. This causes employee morale to take a beating and stress levels to rise.
However, as employees delegate routine tasks to automated systems, they find themselves with more time to make proactive, strategic decisions that have a positive impact on the company’s success, and in turn, their own job satisfaction.
• Employee Development and Opportunities for Continued Learning
Automation can remove redundancies and eliminate time-consuming, manual processes leaving ad sales and operations professionals with more time to learn new skills and technologies. It bears mentioning that professional development opportunities play a major role in employee satisfaction. According to one study, 58% of employees claim professional development contributes to their job satisfaction.
• Employee Development and Opportunities for Continued Learning
Ad operations in Media and Entertainment is known for its high-pressure environment. Sales and operations teams face high expectations, churning and turning with limited time, not to mention managing clients expectations, errors, constant fire drills and so on. This high intensity and pressure build internal friction within functions. Automation drastically reduces this friction by taking on tasks that can be particularly stressful when done manually, resulting in a healthier and more integrated team collaboration across functions, and less burnout across team.
The Ripple Effect
There’s no question automation can enhance the employee experience, but it also has a beneficial ripple effect it on organizations:
• Improved Retention Rates
Satisfied employees are more likely to stay with the company, reducing turnover and the associated costs of recruitment and onboarding. Costs that can be substantial and have a serious impact on overall growth and productivity.
• Enhanced Productivity
Engaged and motivated employees tend to be more productive, driving better results for the company. This is especially critical in the digital advertising industry, where performance metrics are closely monitored.
• Competitive Advantage
Companies that invest in automation not only benefit from cost savings but also gain a competitive edge through the creativity and innovation of their empowered employees. A study published in Procedia Economics and Finance found when people have greater levels of job satisfaction, results in better loyalty, ownership, commitment, effectiveness, efficiency and productivity.
• Positive Company Culture
A workforce that enjoys their work and experiences a healthy work-life balance contributes to the development of a positive company culture, which can attract top talent and partners.
Automation is not just about saving time and money; it’s a catalyst for transforming the employee experience. In the ad sales and operations ecosystem, where agility, innovation, and human creativity are paramount, understanding and embracing these automation can lead to a more efficient, satisfied, and competitive organization.
“The benefit of automation is saving time and allowing me to do the other 60% of my job.“
Andrew, Ad Sales
As businesses continue to evolve, those who recognize the broader advantages of automation and leverage them effectively will not only thrive in their respective industries but have the capacity to foster a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent. In the ever-evolving advertising landscape, it’s not just about selling ads; it’s about investing in your people and empowering them to drive success, and ultimately – reap the benefits as well.
“Upward was purpose-built for content companies that monetize media with advertising. Its workflows, logic, platform recognition, nomenclature, and automation all map closely to the needs of brands in media & entertainment, retail media networks, and streaming”
Jay Kulkarni, Theorem CEO
Check out UPWARD for yourself by contacting us for a personalized demo today.
